Astound US Inc

? ???ACT NOW TO PROTECT CREATIVE RIGHTS Today is the final day to submit your response to the UK Government’s proposal that could undermine copyright protections and open the door to unchecked AI exploitation of creative work. The proposed shift to an "opt-out" copyright model poses a serious threat to artists, illustrators, musicians, writers, and the entire creative community. Astound invites you to take a stand with us to ensure fair and ethical protections remain in place. ???How You Can Take Action: ??We’ve compiled everything you need to make your voice heard today: ?IPO Consultation Form:? https://lnkd.in/gCvN9GhU ??DACS Response Template:? https://lnkd.in/giC9_7Rk ??The AOI’s Illustrator Response Guide:?https://lnkd.in/e-fnp42v ??Artists' Open Letter:?https://lnkd.in/gjjNZ_dr ??Creative Rights in AI Resources:?creativerightsinai.co.uk The deadline is today. We encourage everyone across the arts, music, literature, creative industries, and beyond to contribute! Together, let's advocate for a future where creativity is valued and protected. #handsoffourcopyright?#makeitfair

We are delighted to announce that our veteran artist Alex Lopez (Portfolio: https://lnkd.in/g63-vFFM)?is illustrating Astrosaurs: Mission to Infinity, a graphic-novel adaptation of the bestselling Astrosaurs series created by Steve Cole for?Piccadilly Press! ??? ? Steve has teamed up with his son Tobey Cole and illustrator Alex Lopez "to reimagine the original stories with a brand-new look for a new generation of readers." ? Ella Whiddett, commissioning editor at Piccadilly Press, acquired World All Language rights for Astrosaurs: Mission to Infinity from Philippa Milnes-Smith at The Soho Agency and Imogen Holmes at Astound US Inc.? -- #AlexLopez #Astrosaurs #PiccadillyPress #ImogenHolmes #bookillustration #publishing #childrensbookillustration #graphicnovel #kidlit #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #artagency #AstoundAgency #AstoundArtist Love Alex Lopez's work? See more of it in his portfolio: https://lnkd.in/g63-vFFM If you're interested in a project with any of our astounding artists, send us a message at [email protected]! ?

?? Celebrating 10 Astounding Years With Valentina Jaskina ??? ? Our beloved illustration agency Astound US Inc is celebrating its 10th anniversary! ?? Over the past decade, Astound has been a beacon of creativity, representing an incredible roster of talented artists and collaborating on astounding publications. ? ? To celebrate this significant milestone, we are thrilled to feature an exclusive interview with our veteran artist Valentina Jaskina (Portfolio: https://lnkd.in/gYCgyTbw) who has been with us since the very beginning. ? ?? Do you remember your first project with Astound?? "My first project with Astound was creating spot illustrations and an isometric illustration of a house for Nelson Education Limited in 2015."? ? ?? What has been your favorite project so far with Astound?? "My favorite project to date is The Legend of the Christmas Pickle (Book Bridge Press), which I worked on in 2019. Though, honestly, I love every book I have the opportunity to work on! "? ? ?? Do you have any advice to share with artists starting in their careers?? "My advice for aspiring artists: Enjoy every working day, because you have the best profession in the world! Don't be afraid of revisions and critiques from editors – trusting their expertise always leads to better work!"? ? -- #ValentinaJaskina #bookillustration #publishing #childrensbookillustration #picturebooks #kidlit #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #artagency #AstoundAgency #AstoundArtist View Valentina Jaskina's portfolio here: https://lnkd.in/gYCgyTbw If you're interested in a project with Valentina Jaskina or any of our astounding artists, send us a message at [email protected]!

New Yorkers, please join Hanh Bui for her read-aloud of áNH'S NEW WORD, illustrated by Astound artist Bao Luu (Folio: https://lnkd.in/ezDTXrmT), at the world renown The Metropolitan Museum of Art! In ánh's New Word, a child living in a Vietnamese refugee camp learns their first word in English with a little help from their teacher and grandmother in this heart-warming picture book based on the author's childhood. Published by Macmillan, it is a hopeful story of finding your voice, inspired by true events from the author's childhood. This storytime session will also include a reading of The Yellow áo Dài, written by Hanh Bui and illustrated by Minnie Phan. It is a beautiful way to celebrate the Lunar New Year and also commemorate the?50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, which brought Hanh and many other refugees to the United States. Those experiences inspired these books, which she looks forward to sharing with children at The Met! -- #BaoLuu #HanhBui #TheMet #LunarNewYear #bookillustration #publishing #childrensbookillustration #picturebooks #kidlit #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #artagency #AstoundAgency #AstoundArtist Love Bao Luu's work? See more of it in his portfolio: https://lnkd.in/ezDTXrmT If you're interested in a project with any of our astounding artists, send us a message at [email protected]!

?? Astounding Artist Marta álvarez wins 2 Skipping Stones Awards! ?? We congratulate our amazing artist Marta álvarez (Portfolio: https://lnkd.in/dwqK4U7T) on receiving Skipping Stones Awards for her two books, THE GIRL WHO HEARD THE MUSIC, written by Mahani Teave and Marni Fogelson; and JOSé FEEDS THE WORLD, written by David Unger. The #SkippingStonesAwards honors picture books, chapter books, novels and nonfiction works promote an understanding of cultures, cultivate cooperation, and/or encourage a deeper awareness of nature, ecology, and diversity. They foster respect for multiple viewpoints and closer relationships within human societies. The honored titles offer various perspectives, help us understand our diverse cultures and their histories, and how we overcome challenging situations. Learn more about the book awards here: https://lnkd.in/gFkvRMq5 Congratulations to Marta álvarez; the authors Mahani Teave, Marni Fogelson, and David Unger; and the teams at Sourcebooks on this recognition! -- #MartaAlvarez #MartaAlvarezMiguens #bookillustration #publishing #childrensbookillustration #picturebooks #kidlit #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #artagency #AstoundAgency #AstoundArtist Love Marta álvarez's work? See more of it in her portfolio: https://lnkd.in/dwqK4U7T If you're interested in a project with any of our astounding artists, send us a message at [email protected]!

?? Celebrating 10 Astounding Years With Srimalie Bassani ??? ? Our beloved illustration agency Astound US Inc is celebrating its 10th anniversary! ?? Over the past decade, Astound has been a beacon of creativity, representing an incredible roster of talented artists and collaborating on astounding publications. ? ? To celebrate this significant milestone, we are thrilled to feature an exclusive interview with our veteran artist Srimalie Bassani (Portfolio: https://lnkd.in/gSTwCdw3) who has been with us since the very beginning. ? ?? Do you remember your first project with Astound?? "Yes, of course, I remember my first project with Astound! It was two activity books from the same series with The Quarto Group Children's Book Publishing: Doodle Magic Monsters and Doodle Magic Princess. On the first page was a lift-to-erase reusable luminous layer that let you draw and draw again, and each other page had inspiring doodling ideas and step-by-step drawing prompts. A very fun project!"? ? ?? What has been your favorite project so far with Astound?? "WAITING TOGETHER from Albert Whitman & Company."? ? ?? Do you have any advice to share with artists starting in their careers?? "Be curious about everything that surrounds you, do different courses to improve your techniques, and invest in good working tools."? ? -- #SrimalieBassani #bookillustration #publishing #childrensbookillustration #picturebooks #kidlit #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #artagency #AstoundAgency #AstoundArtist View Srimalie Bassani's portfolio here: https://lnkd.in/gSTwCdw3 If you're interested in a project with Srimalie or any of our astounding artists, send us a message at [email protected]!

Astound is thrilled to hear that the spine-tingling release of?Five Nights at Freddy’s: The Week Before, illustrated by our very own?Ronaldo Barata (Portfolio: https://lnkd.in/gW-yUE8D), is an instant New York Times bestseller! This thriller of a book was published by Scholastic just in time for the 10th anniversary of?#FiveNightsAtFreddys! The book is Choose-Your-Own-Adventure style, offering an AFK interactive experience –?with 25 different endings and 2 different difficulty settings. “Return to where it all began in this interactive novel set before the very first?Five Nights at Freddy's?game. You the reader are the security guard, and you've got five nights (or is it six?) to survive Freddy, Chica, Bonnie, and Foxy as they try to wipe you out.” You can read more and purchase a copy of this instant NYT bestseller?here: https://lnkd.in/gMNqvyqG We at Astound cannot wait to have this book on our shelves! -- #bookillustration #publishing #childrensbookillustration #chooseyourownadventure #chapterbook #kidlit #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #artagency #AstoundAgency #AstoundArtist Love Ronaldo Barata's work? See more of it in his portfolio: https://lnkd.in/gW-yUE8D If you're interested in a project with any of our astounding artists, send us a message at [email protected]!

?? Welcome Astound's Picture Book Artist of the Week: Lauren Hubbert ?? Today, we’re thrilled to welcome Lauren Hubbert (Portfolio: https://lnkd.in/g5TCtGz2) as our Picture Book Artist of the Week!? Lauren Hubbert lives in the North East of England, where she studies her illustration degree. Inspired by nature, animals and trips to galleries/museums, her work is often created digitally, although she enjoys experimenting with traditional media and incorporating this into her digital work. Lauren was highly commended for her entry in the Macmillan Prize for Illustration. She loves mixing pattern, colour and texture whether in her art or in her outfits. In her own time, Lauren enjoys attending life drawing classes with a rock and roll soundtrack, combining her love of drawing and music. She can be found relaxing curled up with a book alongside her dog and cup of tea. Thank you to ITSme International Talent Search for their help with scouting and signing Lauren! Astound US Inc's picture book artists are in high demand from top publishers around the globe, and we are excited to have Lauren join our award-winning roster. -- #LaurenHubbert #bookillustration #publishing #childrensbookillustration #picturebooks #kidlit #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #artagency #AstoundAgency #AstoundArtist View ?Lauren Hubbert's portfolio here:?https://lnkd.in/g5TCtGz2 If you would like to work on a project with any of our astounding artists, send us an email at?[email protected]!

We are absolutely delighted by the glowing?Kirkus Reviews review?of John Coy’s?THE SECRET OF FALL, illustrated by Astound artist,?Kristen Adam (Portfolio: https://lnkd.in/dYjzUDgB)! The review complimented?Adam's lush and vibrant illustrations: “Popping with color, the enticing, collage-like illustrations feature a group of playful, curious, racially diverse children frolicking outdoors and marveling at the seasonal changes . . . Don’t keep this lovely book a secret: Display it widely and hand it to inquisitive young readers this fall.” THE SECRET OF FALL?is a lovely book that takes curious readers through the changing of the seasons with colorful illustrations and stunning prose. You can read the full review?here: https://lnkd.in/gXJBt5gK This engaging book was written by John Coy and published by Sleeping Bear Press, Inc..?THE SECRET OF FALL?is available for purchase now –?click here to order a copy for yourself: https://lnkd.in/gvH45eeQ - #KristenAdam #bookillustration #publishing #childrensbookillustration #picturebooks #kidlit #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #artagency #AstoundAgency #AstoundArtist Love Kristen Adam's work? See more of it in her portfolio: https://lnkd.in/dYjzUDgB If you're interested in a project with Kristen Adam or any of our astounding artists, send us a message at [email protected]!

????? - Literary Titan wrote an amazing ?5-star review?review for WOULD IT BE WEIRD? illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum! Written by Edgar Garcia and published by nextCore Books, this book is a "is a playful dive into a child’s wild imagination, where every dinnertime question is a ticket to an absurd and funny 'what if' scenario." Literary Titan praised Epelbaum's illustrations, writing that "Mariano Epelbaum’s art truly shines in this picture book. It’s bright and lively and just an explosion of energy and detail that pulls you into every wild scenario. I loved how the emotions on everyone’s faces were so expressive and spot-on. What really stood out to me was how the illustrations perfectly captured what made each moment funny. It matches the whimsical and fun tone of the story perfectly. This attention to detail is what makes the book feel like a mini-adventure on every page. Epelbaum takes these absurd “what if” questions and brings them to life with so much humor and charm. It’s impossible not to get swept up in the silliness when the art makes the scenarios feel so vibrant. ? [.....]?Would It Be Weird??is a perfect pick for kids with wild imaginations and parents who’ve heard it all. It’s funny, charming, and brilliantly illustrated." For more stunning reviews and the opportunity to purchase this imaginative book, see the book's Amazon listing here: https://lnkd.in/gqPc7WVD Congratulations to Mariano Epelbaum and Edgar Garcia on the stunning reception! -- #MarianoEpelbaum #EdgarGarcia #bookillustration #publishing #childrensbookillustration #picturebooks #kidlit #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #artagency #AstoundAgency #AstoundArtist Love Mariano Epelbaum's work? See more of it in his portfolio: https://lnkd.in/em8WVPsy If you're interested in a project with any of our astounding artists, send us a message at [email protected]!