A Secret Life Around You & Me by Anna Świetlik-Horodecka is an invitation to stop, look around, imagine, and feel. It portrays the world as a magical and colorful place, supported by whimsical and unique illustrations.
Have you ever looked around and imagined what all those little things you see would do or say to us?
Anna did. And in the book she shares what she saw…
It is a collection of illustrations with charming, sweet, and meaningful descriptions of A secret life around you and me. They show how we can appreciate and cherish simple things, moments, and emotions that we can experience every day, in every season.
Dear Reader!
In this book, the author shares with you a special collection of her illustrations. All the pictures are magical stories from “secret life” of little things we can find around us. They show how we can cherish and appreciate simple things, moments and feelings that we can experience every day, every season. That is why pictures are arranged by seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
We hope you were able to identify with the illustrations – the feelings they represent, and perhaps the characters that hopefully you like, just as we do.
We hope this book will bring you good feelings and inspire you to share them around.
This book also exists in Danish.
Reviews:
On April 17, 2024, the publishing house reached its 100th title with “A Secret Life.” This milestone was mentioned in both Frederiksborg Amtsavis, featured on the front page of Egedal Lokalnyt, and shared in the local newspaper for Næstved, Faxe & Vordingborg.
Sjællandske Nyheder published the article on April 10, 2024: “The book ‘A Secret Life – Around You and Me’ is being released on Wednesday, April 17. It is a beautiful book by Polish designer and illustrator Anna Świetlik-Horodecka. At the same time, it will be my 100th publication, and that’s just fantastic.” Read the full article here.
Bizz Up also wrote a great article about the publishing house’s 100th release, in which they also reviewed the work. “It is not just a book; it is an invitation to slow down, open your eyes, and immerse yourself in the small but meaningful moments of life… The book presents a charming collection of illustrations, accompanied by sweet and meaningful descriptions of life’s little joys. The illustrations are not only beautiful; they are also thought-provoking and inspiring. With her unique style and whimsical characters, Anna manages to capture the essence of life’s joys and bring them to life on the pages of this book… A reminder to appreciate the small things in life and share them with those we love.” Read the full review here.
Author & Familytherapist Birgitte Kassa recommends the book. “This cute book from @aniamariadraws contains the cutest illustrations with reminders of Life’s joys and magic ✨.” See the full post here.
Dansk 
English (UK)
iloveillustrators –
In addition to the style, the color palette, and the textures, Anna allows us to realize the magic that her eyes can observe and/or imagine with the objects of our daily life in an anthology of illustrations that will transport you (…) We are all surrounded by objects, which without the magic of our eyes can fall into banality. I have always been told in life we have to continue to marvel at the “ordinary”, and Anna knows how to magnify it! A gem of a book that I recommend from 3 years old. Are you tempted?