A Selfish Parody
Shrill Travesty
Illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins
Simon & Schuster
October 19, 2010 / ISBN 9781442407633
Children’s / Ages 4-8 / Humor
Amazon
Reviewed
by Bob Walch
At first glance,
this picture book is seemingly aimed at children, but it doesn’t
take long to realize this story is far more appropriate for an older
audience.
We all know
the story of the selfless tree that gives and gives and gives just
to make sure one little boy is happy. Flip that idea and you have
this story. The child pictured in this cautionary tale is a real
loser. He uses the tree’s twigs to poke his sister and takes
the acorns that lie on the ground and throws them at senior citizens.
As the text points out, the kid is a “loser” and a “real
jerk”.
As the child
grows into adulthood, his behavior doesn’t change. He sets
fires with the tree’s leaves and does a number of incorrigible
things that eventually land him in prison.
One day the
miscreant returns as an old man and, using a chain saw, he cuts
down the tree. But, the tree does have the last laugh, in a manner
of speaking. Commenting on the weird ending, the author writes,
“I have no idea if the tree is happy about this or not.”
I have to think
that the author’s name is as much a “put on” as
the story itself but, no matter, it does capture the story’s
essence. Although I would not make this bedtime reading for a young
child, I would purchase this parody for an older youngster or an
adult. Why? Because bizarre as it is, this is a funny book and the
illustrations reinforce the author’s offbeat sense of humor!
Reviewer's
Note:
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