Marianna Oklejak

(b. 1981) – an author and illustrator of books for children.

She studied in the Book Design and Illustration Chair of the Graphics Faculty at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. She draws and designs books, as well as posters, theatre sets and album covers. So far she has published eight of her own books, including three picture books for very young children (‘Kolory’ [Colours], ‘Liczby’ [Numbers] and ‘Przeciwieństwa’ [Opposites]). Her works are inspired by Polish folk motifs.

Oklejak has illustrated books from Zofia Stanecka’s popular Basia series. These publications have come out regularly since 2008 (the titles include: ‘Basia i upał w ZOO’ [Basia and the Heatwave at the Zoo]; ‘Basia i nowy braciszek’ [Basia Has a New Little Brother]; ‘Basia i przedszkole’ [Basia and Preschool]; ‘Basia i Boże Narodzenie’ [Basia and Christmas]; ‘Basia i biwak’ [Basia and the Bivouac]; ‘Basia i dziadkowie’ [Basia and Her Grandparents]; ‘Basia i mama w pracy’ [Basia’s Mama Goes to Work]; ‘Basia i telewizor’ [Basia and the Television Set]; ‘Basia i pieniądze’ [Basia and Money]). In 2017, these books were adapted for an animated series by the same title. Oklejak has also illustrated other publications for children, including books by Anne-Cath Vestla (the 8+2 series), Roksana Jędrzejewska-Wróbel (‘Królewna’ [The Princess]; ‘Żelazne trzewiczki. Baśń o wytrwałości’ [Iron Shoes: A Tale of Endurance]; ‘Siedmiu wspaniałych i sześć innych nie całkiem nieznanych historii’ [The Magnificent Seven and Six Other Not Entirely Unknown Stories]), Marta Spingarda (the ‘Dla młodych podróżników’ [For Young Travellers] series), Agnieszka Górska (the ‘Dzieci gotują’ [Children Cook]) and Janusz Korczak (‘Kajtuś Czarodziej’ [Kajtuś the Magician] series; ‘Król Maciuś Pierwszy’ [King Maciuś the First]; ‘Król Maciuś na wyspie bezludnej’ [King Maciuś on a Desert Island]).

Her illustrations have been awarded by the Polish Section of IBBY (‘Jestem miasto. Warszawa’ [I Am the City: Warsaw], 2012; ‘Cuda wianki’ [Miracles of the Wreath], 2015) and given honorary mentions (King Maciuś the First; King Maciuś on a Desert Island, 2011; ‘Cuda niewidy’ [Miracles of Spectres], 2017). Oklejak’s works are inscribed on the List of Treasures of the Museum of Children’s Books (‘Bum! Bum!! Bum!!!’ [Boom! Boom!! Boom!!!]; ‘Cuda wianki’ [Miracles of the Wreath]), and have been finalists for prestigious competitions in South Korea: the CJ Picture Book Award in 2010 and Nami Island in 2017; they have also been presented at many exhibitions in Poland and abroad. One of Oklejak’s own books, Miracles of the Wreath, has been inscribed on the IBBY international honorary list of 2018.