Astound’s Rosie Barlow’s Most Notable Titles of 2022

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 UK Manager, Rosie Barlow’s five most notable titles from 2022.

1. Rewilding illustrated by Chiara Fedele

Publisher: Neon Squid

“Rewilding means returning animals or plants to places where they used to live. I grew up in the depths of Cornwall and in the beautiful landscape of Vancouver, Canada. Nature has always been a part of my life and for children to understand its importance is essential to looking after our planet –  Hopefully, this book and the art in it will inspire them to become wildlife activists!”

2. Brother Wulf: The Last Spook illustrated by Alessia Trunfio

Publisher: Penguin

“I first came across Joseph Delaney’s first book The Spook’s Apprentice in 2004 when I was around 10 years old and was completely captivated by the world he conjured up. So I was utterly delighted to be a part of his newest title and wish I could tell the 10-year-old girl that dreams do come true (cheesy I know but true!).”

3. A Billion Balloons of Questions illustrated by Carlos Velez

Publisher: Floris Books

“I adore the texture and bright colors applied by Carlos in this publication. It complements and celebrates Peruvian heritage and helps take the reader on a funny, quirky journey full of curiosity and exploration of what it is like to be in a bilingual home!”

4. Birds (A Day in the Life) illustrated by Henry Rancourt

Publisher: Neon Squids

“Henry’s textures and vibrant artwork are utterly captivating in this publication. It makes me want to run my hands over the pages and get the artwork printed in A2 frames to display in my office!”

5. The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe illustrated by Anastasiia Nesterova Publisher: Great Star Media Co., Ltd.

“A stunning take on this classic title – Anastasiia’s detailed and delicate watercolors spill out of the book and transport the reader to the magical realm of Narnia. Her contribution to this newest edition is sure to inspire a new generation of illustrators, authors, and avid readers! The rights for this book are also available to purchase globally excluding the Greater China Area and Russia. Please contact me at Rosie@astound.us for more details.”

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.