My Monster Ate My Homework
children's book
A picture book for little kids with big feelings.
What happens when we bury our feelings and problems instead of addressing them? My Monster Ate My Homework is the story of a boy named Leo who doesn’t know how to deal with the hard things in his life. In an attempt to get rid of these problems, he feeds them to his pet monster, Burdy. Leo has to learn that working through his problems with a friend is a much better solution than burying them inside.
I wrote and illustrated this book for parents, teachers, and guardians to facilitate meaningful discussions on mental health topics with their students. This book is meant to be read aloud by an adult to their student. A discussion guide in the back provides an opportunity for families to talk about healthy habits for emotional healing, building trust and confidence the child will take with them throughout life.
Early iteration
This book and its characters went through so many iterations before becoming the final. The images here are a glimpse at some of the concepts and designs that did not make it into the final story.
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The Process
I think I went through four versions of a story before finally landing on the one you'll read. Pieces of each version have been preserved into the final and it's a combination of whimsy and moral that I was trying to achieve. That was the hardest part. How do you make this a fun story, but one that also has incredibly deep and important meaning?
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A selected few spreads:
Thanks so much for your support!
