Excerpt from Katarzyna Slany's Review

The story abounds with knowledge about painting, artistic techniques, and the secrets behind various artists' creative processes. Throughout the narrative, we journey into the worlds of different paintings (…), which we can observe from within, thereby fully grasping their conceptual foundations.
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We quickly befriend the protagonist, eight-year-old Leon—an ordinary yet extraordinary child. A boy fascinated by art (…), he finds himself drawn into the world of a painting, guided there by his dreams. Within the extraordinary space of the artwork, the boy tangibly feels the rain and smells the jungle. This sensory experience is heightened by the presence of Tiger, who engages the boy in light conversation.
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The novel’s beautifully imaginative plot, built around the characters’ travels from one painting to another, is punctuated—each time the boy returns to reality—by the author’s substantive commentary on individual artworks as well as the artistic movements and trends to which they belong. Also included as valuable additions are biographical notes on the painters and the socio-historical contexts linked to specific works and artistic currents. Another significant merit lies in the book’s graphic design, which features reproductions of the discussed paintings, complementing the intelligent and vivid journey through the worlds of remarkable artworks.
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In Leon’s final conversation with Tiger, an essential question regarding children’s imagination is raised. The boy has already learned that becoming fascinated with a work of art is enough to leap into it—for with passion and liberated dreams, everything becomes possible.

★Astrid Lindgren Literary Award (This competition is organized by the "ABCXXI – All of Poland Reads to Kids" Foundation. The jury, adhering to the highest literary standards for children established by its Patron, rewards texts of outstanding artistic and ethical quality. It is an anonymous competition – the names of the authors are revealed to the jury only after the winning works have been selected.)
★ABCXXI "All of Poland Reads to Kids" Foundation Gold List (The Gold List features books recognized by the members of the ABCXXI Foundation as the most valuable — they teach children positive values, stimulate reflection or laughter, enhance language skills, develop imagination, and provide good behavioral models such as kindness, honesty, wisdom, and courage.)

Leon, whose mother works in an art gallery and father is a painter, meets the extraordinary Tiger from Henri Rousseau's painting. The creature introduces the boy to the fascinating world of painting – explaining perspective, demonstrating how to use color, light, and shadow. Together with Leon, he steps into the world of well-known paintings by Van Gogh and Monet, which suddenly come alive through the knowledge shared by Tiger. Each masterpiece leaves a lasting impression on both the book's protagonist and us. We begin to know, understand, and feel them more deeply. And they become magical.

Katarzyna Rygiel
"As long as I can remember, I've dreamed of writing books. When I finally dared to try, I discovered it makes me happy. I invent my stories on my favorite couch with a notebook or laptop on my knees. I think writing has much in common with composing music.
I've always sought interesting pursuits: in high school I wove tapestries and studied painting, and as an archaeology student I searched the earth for traces of people who lived centuries ago. Perhaps that's why elements from the art world and motifs from the past appear in my books.
I've lived in Warsaw for a long time. I once explored it with a camera, later with my husband and sons – who are now teenagers and prefer to walk their own paths. Yet they remain the first readers of my books, and the first critics whose opinion matters most to me."