Fog Island itself, with its steep stairs, and its stone building (later revealed as a ruin) at the summit, reminded me of Skellig Michael, an island off the coast of Kerry's Iveragh Peninsula, which was home to a sixth-century monastery. It references an Ireland of the past, both in story and artwork, the sort of quasi-legendary 'islander' Ireland found in the children's fiction of such authors as Walter Macken or Eilís Dillon. Originally published in Switzerland as Der Nebelmann, this recent (2012) story from Tomi Ungerer was conceived as a tribute to Ireland, where the French author/artist makes his home for part of the year. Did they dream the Fog Man? The answer comes unexpectedly in the form of a long hair in their soup. They make their way home through a storm, but their story is met with disbelief, when they finally make land. Awakening the next day, the children discover themselves in an old ruin, with no sign of their host.

Here they meet the Fog Man, an ancient islander who creates the fog in his enormous, well-like boiler, and who gives the children shelter for the night. Set on Ireland's rocky west coast, this recent picture-book from Tomi Ungerer is the story of siblings Finn and Cara, the children of a local fisherman and boat-builder who get blown off course while out in their currach, and land on the mysterious and much feared Fog Island.

Fog island by tomi ungerer