Tomi Ungerer was born in Strasbourg, France, and came to the United States in 1956. He is the author-artist of many children's stories about animals: Crictor, a boa constrictor, Adelaide, a kangaroo with wings; Rufus, a bat; and Emile, an octopus. Also to his credit is the beloved family of French pigs, Mr. and Mrs. Mellops and sons. Mr. Ungerer has done a great deal of free-lance artwork for many magazines and several books of cartoons for adults.