If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the illustrations of my new book, The Mighty Head of Moustafa, speak volumes about the winding alleys and markets of Cairo and Marrakesh! While Moustafa and the bread on his head lead the story, the true star is none other than Fruzsina Kuhari, the incredibly talented illustrator of this book.

Working with Fruzsina was such an adventure! She took on my wacky manuscript with its unusual drawing requirements as a personal challenge for her as an artist, and embraced it. In no time at all, she had presented me with an endearing “rough sketch” that captured the very essence of the “Moustafa” in my head (swipe left), complete with his cloud of curly hair, huge nose, and lanky body perched atop a bicycle. To this day, this sketch remains my favorite!

From there we talked concepts and storyboards, and Fruzsina was cooperative, thoughtful, and imaginative throughout the process. She took every suggestion to heart and added her own magic, creating spread after spread of enchanting illustrations that breathed life into the words of my humble story! Through her illustrations, I could feel the heat of the dusty bread oven warming my face and hear the bray of the donkey over the din of cars on the crowded street. She left no corner untouched, applying her artistry and her originality to the minutest of details. I also didn’t have to worry or think twice about technical things like page layouts or margins, as Fruzsina knows her way around the mechanics of putting together a book.

With Fruzsina at the helm, the journey of creating this book was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have had in my creative life. She’s so much more than my illustrator, she became my friend along the way and I look forward supporting her in all her exciting new projects!