My Monster Mayhem

About Anita Pouroulis

Anita Pouroulis was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1969.  She grew up there, the eldest of three siblings.  

After finishing school she couldn’t decide whether to study art or education… and chose the education route!  She completed a Bachelor Degree in Primary Education at the University of the Witwatersrand, continuing to draw and paint in her spare time.  

Anita worked as a primary school teacher for many years, both in South Africa and in the U.K. While teaching, she developed a passion for children’s books and read every single book in each and every school library!  She also studied part time, completing an Honours Degree in Psychology.  She then moved out of teaching for a while, landing what she calls her ‘best job ever’, writing and copy-editing for a teenage girls’ magazine based in Johannesburg.

Anita now lives in Spain with her husband, their daughter and dogs.  

“My daughter is an incredible source of inspiration for my stories,” she says, “As well as the memories of all my ‘other’ children I taught so many years ago!”  

Anita also lets on that some of her stories relate to similar experiences she had as a child…“Most certainly the cronky car story!” she concedes.  “My next books are totally inspired by my daughter… and her dogs!” she says.  “And this time I’m doing the artwork myself!”