50 Books for Summer | Editorial Illustration for The Guardian

I created the cover and two spot illustrations for The Guardian’s Saturday Culture section, bringing their 50 Books for Summer feature to life. This was a wonderful opportunity to work with one of the UK’s leading newspapers on editorial content that celebrates reading and literary discovery.

Summer reading: the 50 hottest new books for a great escape by Monsie Monika Jurczyk. An editorial illustration for The Guardian featuring a dark-skinned woman reading in a sunny garden. She is holding an open book that resembles a fan while sitting under a lemon tree. The scene captures a tranquil outdoor reading moment.
Summer reading: the 50 hottest new books for a great escape by Monsie Monika Jurczyk
Summer reading: the 50 hottest new books for a great escape by Monsie Monika Jurczyk
Summer reading: the 50 hottest new books for a great escape by Monsie Monika Jurczyk
Summer reading: the 50 hottest new books for a great escape by Monsie Monika Jurczyk
Summer reading: the 50 hottest new books for a great escape by Monsie Monika Jurczyk
Summer reading: the 50 hottest new books for a great escape by Monsie Monika Jurczyk

The brief called for a visual approach that felt fresh and inviting – capturing the energy of summer reading through bold colors, playful characters, and fun compositions. My goal was to create a cohesive visual story across the series that worked for both the main cover and the supporting spots, evoking the simple pleasure of slowing down with a good book on a warm day.

Summer reading: the 50 hottest new books for a great escape by Monsie Monika Jurczyk
Summer reading: the 50 hottest new books for a great escape by Monsie Monika Jurczyk
Summer reading: the 50 hottest new books for a great escape by Monsie Monika Jurczyk

If you need editorial or publishing illustrations that bring summer stories and literary worlds to life, reach out. Let’s collaborate! 

Come through! A girl riding an electric scooter, wearing polka dot socks, with her hair blowing in the wind, creating a dynamic and lively scene.
Powerful Women Week: bold vector illustration of a brown woman with pink hair styled in a bun, holding a white stylus between her lips. She wears a colorful turtleneck shirt featuring yellow and navy blue cloud-like island shapes.
A topless young woman poses with her right hand on the back of her head, her fingers raised to resemble devil horns. The illustration invites viewers to reflect on the negative interpretations of assertive women, illustrating how strength can be mischaracterized as devilish or troublesome in societal narratives.