The Original Anti-Social Media Parable — Now Visually Transformed with All-New Illustrations What happens when two children spend every day feeding all their thoughts, dreams, and belly button lint into a magical tree with a bottomless appetite? They feel terrific— until they don’t! Blending clever satire with zany, unforgettable art, The Liking Tree is a modern allegory about screen time, social media, and the value of unplugged living—for kids and the grown-ups who raise them. By exploring the downsides of screen time – from selfie obsession to FOMO to online outrage, The Liking Tree encourages readers to reflect on our digital habits—with laughs along the way. First published in 2020 as The Liking Tree: An Antisocial Media Fable , this bold parody of Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree, offered a sardonic critique of social media’s negative effects on young minds. In this newly illustrated second edition, author John Allen Wooden ups the subversive ante with his own artwork—wilder, weirder and more wickedly on-point drawings to fully reflect the story’s darkly funny spirit and leave young readers laughing for more. It also kicks off the Screen Time Tales series—a collection of cheeky, cautionary fables about kids, screens, and digital overload. 📱 Laugh-out-loud. Slightly unhinged. Weirdly wise. 💡 Perfect for: Parents raising screen-savvy (or screen-glued) kids - Teachers and counselors discussing media literacy - Kids ages 8–12 (and younger readers with a grown-up guide) - Fans of funny books that actually say something Themes include: Screen Time Overload - Kids and Social Media - FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) - Online Validation - Emotional Regulation - Unplugged Living - Tech Habits A modern fable and unauthorized parody of The Giving Tree —if that tree craved likes, threw tantrums, and gaslit children for fun. This newly illustrated edition replaces the original 2020 edition, originally subtitled ‘An Antisocial Media Fable’ – and officially launches the Screen Time Tales series. 📘 Book One in the Screen Time Tales series – Laugh. Unplug. Repeat. Bravo! Finally an entertaining and witty children's book that brilliantly conveys the dark side of social media to young readers! As a parody of a children's classic, The Liking Tree is also smart and compelling enough for parents as well. John Allen Wooden has done a tremendous service for all families with his innovative new book." - Dr. Nicholas Kardaras , author of Glow Kids "An inoculation against social media's seductive pull--and a great conversation starter for people of all ages. (Kids, your parents should pay attention to its message, too!)" - Catherine Price , author of How to Break Up With Your Phone "A perfect illustration of the toxic fruit that is social media. A powerful message for children and an eye-opener for parents." - Thomas Kersting , author of How To Reconnect Our Digitally Distracted Kids "A fun and witty take on the growing influence of social media on children--with a powerful moral to inspire all digital families." - Elizabeth Milovidov, PhD , author of The Parent's Guide to Parenting in the Digital Age A Little Backstory The Liking Tree,  my playfully dystopian, Facebook-flavored spin on  The Giving Tree , was first published in late February of 2020 — just days before COVID-19 shut down the world. With schools suddenly closed and every kid on Earth glued to screens while mom and dad heavily self-medicated with sourdough, this was a no-good, terrible time to release a cautionary fable about social media. The launch fizzled. I moved on. But now, five years later, I decided to pick up a pencil (okay, a stylus) and re-illustrate the entire book to launch my forthcoming Screen Time Tales series. The 2020 edition's illustrations were great, but I wanted to take a crack at it in my own scrappy, kinda unhinged style—the one I'd originally pictured while writing it. And honestly? I'm pretty chuffed with how it turned out. I hope you like it, too. - John Allen Wooden This newly illustrated second edition replaces the original 2020 release of The Liking Tree: An Antisocial Media Fable . What happens when two children spend every day feeding all their thoughts, dreams, and belly button lint into a magical tree with a bottomless appetite? They feel terrific—until they don't! Blending clever satire with zany, unforgettable art, The Liking Tree is a modern allegory about social media, screen time, and the value of unplugged living—for kids and the grown-ups who raise them. The Original Anti-Social Media Parable — Now Visually Transformed with All-New Illustrations First published in 2020 as a bold parody of Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree, The Liking Tree offered a sardonic critique of social media's negative effects on young minds. In this newly illustrated second edition, author John Allen Wooden ups the subversive ante with his own artwork—wilder, weirder and more wickedly on-point drawings that capture the st