Danesh Mohiuddin's Debut Picture Book is the Story of Playful Monsters With a Heartfelt Parent and Child Relationship

Many authors have interesting life stories of their own, and unique pathways to becoming an artist. Our featured book today, Mummy and Me: A Monster's Tale (Owlkids Books), is written and illustrated by just such an author.

Danesh Mohiuddin has spent his creative and work life with myriad interests and contributions, from writing comic books and designing toys, to doing freelance illustrating for established children's publishers. And, now, he has emerged as a picture book author.

His exciting debut is a story about Mummy and Wee Wolf, "monsters" who come out at night and share a caring familial relationship. Mummy is always looking out for Wee Wolf through all of his shenanigans, and often finds herself coming unravelled (literally) by the end of the day. It's then that Wee Wolf helps her, tending to Mummy and rewrapping her bandages. It's a heartfelt, playful story about parent and child, bolstered by bold illustrations that will delight all of the Mummies and Wee Wolves out there that pick up the book.

We've got a special Dirty Dozen Interview with the author today on Open Book, where he shares 12 interesting facts about himself for our readers!

The Dirty Dozen, from Danesh Mohiudden

1. When I was a few weeks old, my mum carried me from India to the UAE in a wicker basket. People thought she was carrying chickens.

2. I have a history of being attacked in my ear hole. From Alien cosplayers, to insects, to hard spaghetti sticks, to scam artists.. it's all been done.

3. I'm bald on top of my head, but there is one hair that grows there, and sometimes I grow it really long and twirl it in my fingers.

4. I make an excellent Cheese Pancake.

5. I once dislocated my pinky while playing basketball and snapped it back in place myself.

6. My iphone is in grayscale mode to help me to spend less time on it.

7. I was once attacked by a small octopus on a Cape in Alicante, Spain.

8. I can jump really really high.

9. I grew up watching Bollywood movies and idolizing the stars!

10. I broke half my front tooth in an accident at the fair and from age 13 to 17 I was pretty much Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber.

11. I'm watching Breaking Bad for the third time, I love that show.

12. When I was around 7 or 8 I played a mummy in a school play, I remember panicking in the washroom when the toilet paper outfit started falling apart before the play even began.

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Although new to picture books, Danesh Mohiuddin has a long list of creative pursuits, including comic books, political cartooning, advertising campaigns, designing toys and games, and freelance illustrating for companies such as Scholastic and Kayak magazine. Danesh was born in India, grew up in Dubai, and has lived in Spain. He now makes his home in Toronto, Ontario with his wife and children.