On StoryMakers, get to know author and illustrator Ali Bahrampour, creator of MONSTERS IN THE FOG and A PIG IN THE PALACE. MONSTERS IN THE FOG is a story about how things aren’t always what they appear to be. First, Ali shares some of his sketches and discusses why it’s important to question our preconceived thoughts about everything from people to places. Then, learn how Ali weaves bits of his Iranian upbringing into his picture books and follow his tips for drawing a “monster in the fog” of your own!
About the Book
A donkey’s trip up the mountain turns eerie when he encounters “monsters” along the way in this humorous, suspenseful tale about challenging first impressions
Hakim is traveling up the mountain to visit his friend Daisy, but the fog is so thick that he can’t see the road ahead. Then an old goat appears out of nowhere and delivers a sinister warning: “Beware! Beware! There are monsters up there!”
Hakim trots with caution, until he hears an awful groan, growing closer and closer. And out of the mist comes the strangest creature Hakim has ever seen. . . .
Is Hakim doomed? Or are things not always what they seem? In this clever story about how appearances can be deceiving, Ali Bahrampour reminds us that everyone looks like a monster in the fog—until you get closer.
About the Book
A pig is invited to dinner with the queen in this delightfully funny misfit tale
Bobo is rolling around in the mud when somebody slips a letter under his door. It’s an invitation to have dinner with the queen! “Why me?” Bobo wonders. What will he do at a fancy palace? He’s covered in fleas. He doesn’t know which fork to use. He has never been anywhere so grand! Indeed, when he arrives, Bobo feels terribly out of place. And trouble is following him wherever he turns! But maybe . . . he’s not the only one who’d like to let loose?
For any kids who have tried their hardest to behave at a grown-up gathering, Bobo the boar is just the itchy, clumsy, endearing hero they’ve been waiting for.
About Ali Bahrampour
Ali Bahrampour grew up in Iran and the U.S. His first book was Otto: The Story of a Mirror. He was a 2011 recipient of the Sendak Fellowship for picture book artists. He lives in New York City.
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