Mommy, who's that? Satirical kids' book explains Trump phenomenon

'A Child's First Book of Trump' is meant to teach youngsters about the man dominating television screens across US

NEW YORK: A potato-shaped orange blob with tiny hands is the star of a satirical new story written in the style of a children's book explaining the Donald Trump phenomenon.

"A Child's First Book of Trump," written by Michael Ian Black and set for release Tuesday, is clearly intended for a more mature audience.

It shows the presumptive Republican presidential nominee in a less-than-flattering light, depicting the businessman as a money-guzzling, braggadocious creature called an "Americus Trumpus," complete with a tangle of bright yellow hair.



Illustrated in a style similar to a Dr Seuss book - and deploying the same sort of humorous rhyming couplets - the parody is supposedly meant to teach youngsters about the man currently dominating television screens across America.

This photo illustration shows a young girl reading "A Child's First Book of Trump" with text by Michael Ian Black and illustrations by Marc Rosenthal on July 1, 2016 in New York City. PHOTO: AFP

"The beasty is called an American Trump. Its skin is bright orange, its figure is plump," the story reads.

Black's book goes on to tease the hotel magnate for having "underdeveloped" hands, a reference to puerile, primary-campaign insults when Trump's opponents suggestively mocked his hand size.

Published by Simon & Schuster, the 32-page book is the latest in a string of adult and children's books by the 44-year-old Black.



The work was illustrated by Marc Rosenthal, who said he produced all the pictures in just three weeks - such a task normally takes him a year - so he and Black could get it out ahead of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this month.

"The first several days, I had about 30 pictures of Trump all around me," Rosenthal told AFP.

"I tried all different kinds of shapes and bodies. This kind of sweet potato shape seemed the most fun."

Rosenthal didn't try to draw too much of a Trump likeness, instead largely relying on his signature hairstyle to capture his character.

"The hair, the eyebrows and the mouth, that's all I needed for him. It helps give expression," said Rosenthal, who has also been published in The New Yorker.

"I hope he's going to say something bad about the book," Rosenthal quipped, as any comment from Trump would be certain to generate massive free publicity for the work.