“We’ve known since pre-school that we’d be doing something like this,” and the pandemic provided the means for Sally Micsko and her friend Alex Parquette to create a book series that appeals on several levels. Their two children’s books – Murray the Monster and Murray on the Move – celebrate self-love and the fact that everyone has value.
Storytelling has always been a big part of Micsko’s and Parquette’s lives together. Growing up in Sylvania, they spent all their time together — in school and out. “We would always create little stories with each other,” explained Micsko, “and as we got older, we’d create raps.”
“Being creative is better with a friend by your side.”
“We always wanted to create books or something like that together,” Parquette agreed. “When the pandemic hit, we were able to find the time and resources as adults to make that happen.”
Working through their ‘lack of ability’
Once they graduated from Sylvania Southview, they continued their studies in different places – Micsko studied psychology and dance at Miami University of Ohio and Parquette studied public health and occupational therapy at The Ohio State University. While both had worked with children, neither had a sense for creating a children’s book. So, they jumped in (as writers and illustrators on both books) to come up with a character.
Parquette said, “Once we came up with a topic – self-love – and a name for our character – Murray – we needed to draw the people in the book. We decided that it didn’t need to be a person.”
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“Our lack of ability (in writing and illustration) inspired us to create Murray,” said Micsko. They settled on mental health as their general topic and created a monster (with the assistance of their iPad for design).
Parquette said that “insecurity is such a big part of life – for children and adults. You should be celebrating yourself.” So as Murray began to feel more secure about different parts of his appearance, his body would change from gray to full color.
“Just like Murray, you’re wonderful, inside and out.”
“We meshed together so well,” creating this book, said Micsko, it was very rewarding for them too. They began writing “Murray the Monster” in May 2020, and self-published on Amazon in November of that year.
Getting Murray active
The women’s careers distracted them a bit from their publishing work. They ultimately did return to Murray in 2023, with a second book focusing on getting him active. “Once we created the self-love and care theme for the first book, we thought it was time to focus on moving his body,” Parquette said. Micsko said they didn’t use the word “exercise” in the book. “We made it about movement and energy, and how great that is,” she said. “Murray on the Move” was published in November 2023.
“Murray was capable of doing so much: Jumping, and spinning, and skipping, and such.”
Both of the women’s families are in education and arranged for them to do readings of both books in their Sylvania classrooms, doing Zoom readings at first and then visiting the classrooms in person. They have also held book signings on a regular basis around the Toledo area. “I’m always so surprised by how many people come to our book signings,” Micsko said. “We are so thankful to have a great group of local fans.” They’ve also seen the books travel around the world, when teacher friends send them to friends and relatives in other countries.
What’s Murray up to next? “I’d love to do another book, something getting Murray out and doing more,” said Parquette. “Maybe doing holiday books, too,” said Micsko.