Monika Hanulak

(b. 1973) – a graphic artist, illustrator, book and poster designer, author of illustrated children’s books, a graduate in studio graphics from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, and an academic.

She makes illustrated books, and illustrations for books, newspapers and magazines. In her characters and settings she likes to use colourful geometric forms, repetitions and symmetry.

Monika Hanulak’s illustrations have accompanied the development of the Polish children’s book since the early twenty-first century. In 2004, in collaboration with Grażka Lange, she made a book of short stories, ‘Kic-kic kontra generał Gąsienica’ (Kic-Kic Versus General Caterpillar). In 2006, she published Smonia, about a female dragon, her full book debut as a lone author, awarded by the Polish Section of IBBY in the Book of the Year 2006 Competition in the illustration category. Hanulak has also illustrated classics of Polish children’s literature, including the poems of Julian Tuwim, Ludwik Jerzy Kern, and Pampilio by Irena Tuwim, as well as contemporary tales for children, including ‘O wiadukcie kolejowym, który chciał zostać mostem nad rzeką i inne bajki’ (The Railway Viaduct That Wanted to Be a Bridge Over a River and Other Tales, 2007) by Tina Oziewicz, and a book published in France by Belgian author Zidrou, Boucles d’or et les 2 ours (2012). Her pictorial history of evolution for children was again published in France, C’etait un crocodille… (2007). Monika Hanulak has also written a popular series of books for very young children, ‘DziubDziuSie’ (PeckPecky), including ‘Jemy’ (We Eat), ‘Myjemy się’ (We Wash), ‘Płaczemy’ (We Cry), ‘Śmiejemy się’ (We Laugh); its tiny animal protagonists are portrayed doing ordinary things, but also experiencing and feeling emotions.

Monika Hanulak’s work goes beyond publications for children, or even for human beings; she has also written the world’s first books to read to your pets: ‘Książka dla kota’ (Book for a Cat) and Książkę dla psa (Book for a Cat), published in 2022.

This author’s works have been a success both in Poland and abroad. Among her numerous prestigious awards, we might mention the main visual art award in the Polish Section of IBBY Book of the Year 2010 for illustrations and graphic design of Pampilio, with text by Irena Tuwim, honourable mentions also for Pampilio in the International Competition Best Book Design from all over the World 2012 in Frankfurt, and the Bologna Ragazzi Award in the children’s poetry category for ‘Wiersze dla dzieci’ (Poems for Children) by Julian Tuwim (together with the book’s other illustrators).