The Monkey on My Brother’s Back is a metaphorical cautionary tale describing what can happen when children don’t listen to their parents. Told from the perspective of his younger brother, the story illustrates how Zack defies his parents and winds up getting a monkey stuck on his back!
This story aims to help young children with loved ones who suffer from substance abuse, offering hope and a better understanding of the issue.
The story behind the story:
This book initially started as a joke. It was inspired by another children’s book titled “The Night Dad Went to Jail.” I found the book to be funny because it’s not every day that you see a book like that. So, I thought it would be funny if there was a children’s book talking about drugs in a similar way. The phrase “monkey on my back” immediately popped into my head, and I began doodling a kid with a literal monkey on his back (which is now the cover of the book.)
I never planned on creating an actual book from this idea. I just wanted to draw the cover as a joke. But once the cover was complete, I thought about it a little more. Substance abuse can negatively affect children in many ways. They often see family members suffer from it and may not always understand what is happening. That’s when the joke evolved into an actual idea.
I wanted to create something young children could understand, using the monkey as a metaphor for addiction because kids love animals! And since I can’t draw to save my life, I decided to tell the story from the perspective of a young child and draw the pictures the same way a little kid would.
So, even though it may have started as a joke, I seriously hope this book can help children who may need it. And even if you don’t have kids, you may still get a kick out of the book. Enjoy.
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