Karolina Lewestam
Official page of the London-based, Polish author of bestselling children's books — and essays on culture and philosophy.
Currently writing the third book of
The Tales of the Aurora
Art by Mariusz Andryszczyk
CHILDREN'S BOOKS
SILLA
TALES OF THE AURORA, BOOK 1
One boy's journey to save the world; a magical story of friendship, self-discovery and a breathtaking adventure guided by a legend from an ancient book.
WHO ARE YOU?
WHOM DO YOU LOVE?
DOES AURORA GLOW FOR ALL LIVING CREATURES?
THE GUARDIAN
OF THE PEARL
TALES OF THE AURORA, BOOK 2
A tale of female friendship, a praise of humility, a fight against a sinister sect of Aurora worshippers — and a sea adventure that will take you to the end of the world.
ARE YOU WORTH IT?
ARE YOU LOVED?
CAN YOU TELL ENEMIES FROM FRIENDS?
THE
LITTLE PRINCESS
Available in Polish, Czech and Ukrainian
What if the Little Prince were a girl?
What if the pilot she encountered was Amelia Earhart?
And what if she didn’t return to her flower, but instead decided to explore the Earth?
A RETELLING OF THE CLASSIC STORY, AND A STORY IN ITS OWN RIGHT
ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Karolina Lewestam is a philosopher, journalist and writer. She has a PhD in Philosophy from Boston University; she lectured at BU, Northeastern University and University of Warsaw. A columnist at a daily, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, for years, she moved on to Pismo, a magazine where she authors a monthly column and writes long-form essays on culture, philosophy and literature—and occasionally draws a graphic short story. She often appears on the radio or TV, commenting on cultural and social issues. Recently, with two friends, she authors a podcast for Radio 357, "Books I haven't read"
Her favourite things include: elaborate cookie decoration (she put pictures of her cookies all over this page), most animals, buying inappropriate amounts of art supplies, Narnia, sewing, dioramas, sailing on tall ships and friendship.
She has three children, Maks, Matylda and Klara—and manages to co-exist with three very naughty cats.
She currently lives in London.
READ MORE IN:
SOME REVIEWS
"
I always hoped that a Polish C.S. Lewis would appear. [...] This person is here and it's Karolina Lewestam
PRZEMEK STAROŃ
TEACHER OF THE YEAR
[...] On this voyage, we will never stumble over bumpy language. Instead, reading it will be like listening to the story with half-closed eyes, looking at the sky. [...] The adventure we find on the pages of “Silla” is so incredibly engaging, that it is hard to even get up to make oneself some warm tea [...] there’s plenty to laugh about in Silla [...] even in the most sinister moments […]
JOLANTA KOSSAKOWSKA, LITERARY CRITIC
"NOWE KSIĄŻKI" LITERARY MAGAZINE
You’ll not be able to pull yourselves away from this story, I promise you. It is a world that
envelops you from the start and you never ever want to leave. The characters will become your
friends.
MALI_CZYTELNICY
BOOKSTAGRAM
[…] Karolina Lewestam reveals her secrets slowly […] with attention to timing, as tension mounts; and tasteful language. Even her descriptions of the ice-covered plains that glisten under the two moons […] are like nourishment to the mind and imagination.
This story is the most beautiful legend! […] I simply can't believe how strongly it pulled me in.
"
@PRZYRODAZKSIAZKA
I’m impatiently waiting for the next book, and for a movie, because it’s undoubtedly a fantastic movie material.
JULITA PASIKOWSKA-KLICA
LITERARY CRITIC
BAJKOCHŁONKA.PL
Fantastic, incredibly climatic and beautifully illustrated novel [...] Seems quite worn out as a motive: the world is ending, something threatens it, only one person can stop it. [...] But the way the story is told, the world it creates, the characters; all this makes it impossible to unglue yourself from the book. The dramatic adventures of the boy move you, make you cry, but also fill your heart with some kind of strange warmth. [...] not just for kids!
USER GOSKRZYS LUBIMYCZYTAC.PL
("POLISH GOODREADS")
Are you ready for a crazy adventure, full of twists and turns, extraordinary characters and a madly beautiful, charming and engaging tale?
W NASZEJ BAJCE
[Strażniczka Perły] will warm up even the most frozen hearts. Ideal; and not just for a winter read!
"
'This magical story [of the Little Princess] is an excellent idea for young girls, teenagers, and adult women. Karolina (...) created a therapeutic fairytale. Beautiful, moving, wise. (...) This book should be on every girl's shelf [...] It has so much sensitivity, attentiveness, imagination'
[The Little Princess] is a story very much up my alley, about the steel wings of love that will lift us and our dreams, about the dark 'Something' in your heart that we're so afraid to touch that we become blind to its liberating force, and ultimately that sometimes it's easier to dream than to appreciate what you really have.
MAGDA MOŁEK, LIFESTYLE JOURNALIST
The Little Princess is a tale of sisterhood and a
guide to wisely supporting your children. Lewestam suggests that it's ok to make mistakes (...). It's a refreshing change, and while I still dislike the genre of philosophical parable, and neither Voltaire, nor Lewestam will change that, the story's contrarianism
and lack of didactism will be appreciated by more than just girls.
BARBARA GÓRECKA
"DZIECI" MAGAZINE
PAULINA HENDEL
AUTHOR OF "WISIELCZA GÓRA"
WOJCIECH SZOT
LITERARY CRITIC
RECOGNITION
Tales of the Aurora
Planeta Izabelin: Winner in Children's Book Category ("Silla")
Winner of "Literacka Podróż Hestii", chosen as book of the year both by the young committee and the experts ("Silla")
Vivelo Book Awards, Finalist ("Silla")
Lubimy Czytać, book of the year (Lubimyczytac.pl is a mirror site to Goodreads)
Finalist ("Silla")
Ferdynand Wspaniały, book of the year award 2023, shortlisted ("Silla")
IBBY recommended books list
First place winner in the 2024 Best Books Ranking by the prestigious "Książki" ("Books") Magazine ("Strażniczka Perły")
Ferdynand Wspaniały, book of the year award 2024, longlisted ("Strażniczka Perły")
Winner of Warsaw Literary Award 2025 in "Children's literature" category ("Strażniczka Perły")
Other notable recognitions of the author
-
Nominated for Odkrycia Empiku for "The Shepherds of Dragons"
-
Six Grand Press nominations for opinion writing / interviews published in the press
-
"The Little Princess" became an official book of Kosmos Dla Dziewczynek foundation
UPCOMING BOOKS
Shadow Hunters
The third book in the Tales of the Aurora series
Nov. 2025
(Agora)
Hags and Crones
A philosophical examination of the female experience of middle age
Jun. 2025
(Czarne Press)
Conversations before the Apocalypse
Interviews with scholars and thinkers on how to be a good person, when the end seems to be so near
August 2025
(W.A.B.)
GET IN TOUCH
For general inquiries, please reach out to the author at:
Tel: +44 7470649407
Email: karolina[at]lewestam.com
For specific foreign rights inquiries:
TALES OF THE AURORA SERIES:
Agora Press
k.jaszecka[at]poczta.fm
+34 645 29 75 63
+48 668 688 060
THE LITTLE PRINCESS:
English translation: contact the author
Other languages:
W.A.B. Press
marta.gorska[at]gwfoksal.pl
+48 539 022 805
