We have concluded the fifth edition of the Clairvoyants competition – just as successful, rich, and inspiring as the previous ones. This year’s edition received 554 submissions from 55 countries, including 357 from Poland and 197 from all over the world! The submitted projects showcased the full spectrum of styles, conventions, and genres of illustrated children’s books, and their authors impressed us with their extraordinary creativity.

The projects were evaluated by two independent juries, which selected the winners and awarded honorable mentions.

The international Jury

The international jury composed of Anke Kuhl, Andrij Lesiw, Tomasz Broda, and Aleksandra Cieślak, awarded one main prize of €2,500 and two equal honorable mentions.

The verdict of the international jury:

The main prize: ‘The Precious Poop' Nicolò Venturi, Italy

It seemed that among the 554 graphic narratives submitted to the Clairvoyants competition, it would be difficult to choose the one that stands out with its original artistic form, wise message and ability to touch the heart. But when I came across The Precious Poop by Italian creator Nicolò Venturi, I was over the moon. I’ve always believed that goosebumps on my arms signal the right choice, though this time I feared that a book about poop might appeal to me alone on the jury. Imagine my delight when it turned out that the decision to award it the main prize was nearly unanimous. 

The Precious Poop is not, as it might initially seem, just another book on a controversial topic, of which there are plenty on the publishing market. It is the story of a greedy man who robs beetles of their life-giving fertilizer, hoarding it in a volcano-shaped pile guarded by armed soldiers, leaving the insects hungry and homeless. The light, grotesque illustration style immediately sparks joy, but the story it tells carries both seriousness and the strength of metaphor. It is a universal tale about the disastrous effects of human greed as well as a thoroughly contemporary satire on predatory capitalism, which allows privileged individuals to exploit the weaker. 

The book also weaves in important ecological themes and concern for the planet's biological balance. The cover of The Precious Poop, featuring a ruler perched atop an enormous pile of excrement, is a biting critique of the modern world and an anti-establishment satire evoking great literary narratives like Gulliver’s Travels, Pinocchio, and A Christmas Carol. The final explosion of shit heals the world and offers hope for a revolution that restores the natural order. 
I love this book. 
Tomasz Broda

The honorary mention: ‘Gdzie jesteś, szaliczku?' (Where Are You, Little Scarf?) Daria Skolasińska, Poland

A sentimental and charming story that warmly illustrates the simplicity of living in harmony with one’s heart. It tells the story of a little bear searching for a boring activity to tire himself out and fall asleep. However, the effort intended to put him to sleep transforms into a true adventure. 

The owner of the titular scarf, though not a superhero, wins our affection through an act of kindness. The light linework and free, painterly brushstrokes, combined with a delightful, seemingly childlike illustration style, perfectly capture the moods and emotions of the story. The balanced color palette enhances focus on the main graphic elements, while the author skillfully plays with different scales and perspectives. 

In an age of over-designed toy-like books and general overstimulation, this light and simple book unpretentiously conveys a message of empathy and care for others. 
Andriy Lesiv

The honorary mention: ‘Acorns' Maryna Zhvirblia, Lithuania

'Acorns' is a dense, masterfully illustrated visual story about losing one's roots, forced migration, and personal struggles on the path to finding a new place to live. 
The author leads us with extraordinary stylistic confidence, great vitality, lightness, cinematic flair, and attention to detail. We become witnesses to the fairytale journey of a Toadstool, who, stripped of its natural environment, travels the world in search of a new home. 

It is incredible how this graphic masterpiece, reduced almost entirely to black, white, and red, captivates us and evokes empathy. The images here speak more than words ever could: Acorns relies solely on illustration. The story is metaphorical and seems to flow straight from the author’s heart, whose biography is a meaningful and integral part of the book. This latter element, revealing the story’s background, is a clear signal of the urgent and important theme it addresses. 
Aleksandra Cieślak

The Dwie Siostry Publishing jury

Dwie Siostry Publishing House jury composed of Ewa Stiasny, Jadwiga Jędryas, and Maciej Byliniak, awarded the main prize and three equivalent mentions.

The Verdict of the Publishing Jury 

The publishing jury of the fifth edition of the Clairvoyants competition unanimously awarded the first prize in the form of a book publication and three equal honorary mentions. 

The main prize goes to Aleksandra Kuśmider's project 'Osobliwe dzienniki Pewnej Galaktyki' (Peculiar Diaries of a Certain Galaxy). 

This project intrigued us as much as a sudden sighting of a flying saucer. One could almost believe it truly arrived from the planet Gla in the Pi constellation. It is from there that its protagonists—three aliens working for an intergalactic travel agency—come to Earth seeking ideas for a new and spectacular trip for space tourists. And since they look at our planet in an utterly different way than we do, the result of their visit is a completely unearthly and surprising offer. 

The project charmed us with its humor, graphic quality, and bold visual style—clear and communicative, yet full of character and not conforming to prevailing illustration trends. Its expressive power is further enhanced by a disciplined use of color: the coolness of dominant grays is broken only by accents of vivid fluorescent hues. Precise shading lends an extraordinary plasticity to the fantastical shapes, born from the author’s imagination. The combination of these qualities creates a truly intriguing effect. Even scenes taking place on Earth look like images from an alien planet. 

The project’s strength lies in its unobtrusive wit, woven into every spread and the sequence as a whole. The creator’s visual inventiveness and her skill to build humor and anecdote within images convinced us that this work has all the makings of a cosmically successful book. We believe it will offer readers great entertainment and stir their imagination. Accompanying the author on the next stages of this interplanetary journey will be an exciting adventure for us. 

The first honorary distinction goes to 'Chwilka z krzesłami' (A Moment with Chairs) by Julia Bardziejewska (Poland): an entertaining and beautifully illustrated picture book about a monkey named Moment, who searches for the perfect chair to relax on after a tiring day. Each chair she encounters is original, unconventional, and… unsuitable for her, as revealed through a series of absurd and delightful scenes. 

However, the project’s strength lies not only in its humor but also in its educational value. The chairs which the protagonist tries out sitting on are not random — they are the icons of Polish design from the 20th and 21st centuries. While following the whimsical adventures of the protagonist, readers are subtly introduced to the history of industrial design. 

The lightness and ease with which the author combines playful illustrations with informative content utterly captivated us. There isn’t a trace of pretentiousness, boredom, or a kowtowing to famous works of design. Instead, there is plenty of laughter and great fun, along with a touch of humorous distance toward design concepts—after all, Moment ultimately finds her place to relax… on the ground. And yet, the goal is achieved: the reader has a good time, and the designs showcased in the book remain in his memory. 

The second equal honorable mention goes to the project 'Acorns' by Maryna Zhvirblia (Lithuania). This extensive silent book tells the story of a toadstool forced to search for a new home. When the oak grove where it grew has been unexpectedly cut down, the desperate hero sets off into the unknown. After a long journey, the toadstool ends up in Warsaw, where it struggles with loneliness and a sense of inadequacy. However, in the end, after a long time, it starts to rediscover the bright side of life.

The project impressed us with its surprising yet convincing take on the important and timely topic of forced emigration. It also displays a high level of graphic quality: the ability to tell a story with drawing in a nearly cinematic way, intelligent use of the book’s architecture, and a well-chosen artistic form utilizing just two colors—black and red. 

Although the book deals with a serious subject, it does not lack a sense of humor. For instance, Warsaw is depicted as a city of insects, where ladybugs shop at "Biedronka" (the Polish word for ladybug and the brand of an authentic supermarket chain). While the story’s content and message might resonate more with adults than children, we have no doubt that this is a project that deserves recognition. 

The third honorary mention was awarded to the project 'Aline’s Song' by Saara Maria Vallineva from Finland. It is a picture book about Aline, an insect with colorless, transparent wings, who envies butterflies their bright colors. Heartbroken and convinced of her own ugliness, she goes underground, where she encounters cicadas practicing for the concert they plan to perform once they emerge above ground. She then ventures even deeper, to a mysterious fountain that helps her see her own worth and soar into the sky once again. 

This project caught our attention with its strong visual personality. The author is not afraid to embrace roughness, unpolished and raw forms, paint textures, and heavy, earthy tones. These qualities give her illustrations a unique character, an ambiguous charm, and expressive power that perfectly harmonizes with the content. The story’s turning points are reflected in the shifting color palette: from an initial blaze of colors, through deep browns and blacks, to the airy lightness of the blue sky. 

Another strength of the book is its simple yet profound symbolism that invites interpretation. All these elements combine to create a work that is impossible to overlook.

We congratulate the winner and the authors of the honored projects, and we thank all the participants of the competition.

Dwie Siostry Publishing House jury had also chosen most interesting projects that, together with the winning works, will be presented at the post-competition exhibition.