Publication Date: May 2015

The Horrible Life Lessons Tree was my second project at Mango Media, Inc. and the first book to be published under its imprint, Kumquat, which was geared towards a parental audience with young kids.

The book is a parody of The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein and originally had another manuscript before I was assigned to rewrite it. Though the book ends on a grim note, the narrative is interspersed with witty jokes and asides to lighten the story.

I digitally illustrated The Horrible Life Lessons Tree. A few samples can be seen below, along with a blurb about the book.

The Horrible Life Lessons Tree is also available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

—

Once there was a tree, and she loved a boy―and already, this story is getting weird. This tree did everything for the little boy, spoiled the heck out of him, only to raise a monster, proving to everyone that trees make terrible parents. But whoever thought trees would make good parents? In this satirical, cautionary tale about the consequences of over-coddling your kids, watch the downward spiral of bratty child turned evil lunatic against a tree who was just trying to live her tree life. Enjoy this dark parody of indulgent parenting gone horribly wrong.

—