Last year was a wonderful year for our agencies! They worked on so many fantastic projects, from books to clothing, to tarot cards, and more. As we look ahead to 2023, we wanted to wrap up 2022 with some of the agency’s most memorable projects. It’s not easy narrowing it down, but here are Astound’s Aurora Barlam’s five most notable titles from 2022.
1. I Am Okay to Feel illustrated by Diobelle Cerna
“This was the first ever picture book published by Zando, written by Queer Eye’s famous Karamo Brown and “Rachel” Brown. What an exciting debut picture book for Diobelle Cerna to illustrate, with such a beautiful and empowering message. This is a great way to introduce Diobelle’s art to young readers.”
2. ChupaCarter illustrated by Santy Guierrez
“Santy’s quirky cover and interior illustrations are perfect to kick off this series by famed comedian George Lopez and co-author Ryan Calejo. Keep your eyes peeled for the next installments of this series, all fabulous examples of Santy’s talent for humor!”
3. Pets Rule #1: My Kingdom of Darkness illustrated by Wendy Tan Shiau Wei
“The first installment of this Scholastic series has already landed on the Chicago Public Library’s “Best of the Best Books of 2022″ list. I am sure that Wendy’s cute and charming illustrations will continue to draw notice in this well-written series.”
4. The Monster on the Bus illustrated by Hannah Marks
“Hannah’s zany illustrations are such a great fit for this funny picture book by former The Daily Show writer Josh Lieb.”
5. The Way Champs Play illustrated by Kamala Nair
“It was so exciting to help Kamala work on this high-profile book, the first children’s book by star athlete Naomi Osaka. Kirkus Reviews wrote that “Nair’s adorable illustrations shine” in this inspiring book. With an opportunity like this, Kamala’s art will reach audiences around the world.”
The ITSme Society is a collective of top creative agencies that represent award-winning talent worldwide. The ITSme Society agencies represent illustrators and writers across 7 agencies: Advocate Art, Astound US Inc, Illo Agency, Artistique, Yeon, CWLA, and Collaborate.
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