Tickets On Sale Now for Children’s Book Art Silent Auction at BookExpo

BookExpo attendees can buy tickets now for the 2019 Children’s Book Art Silent Auction, to take place on Wednesday, May 29, at the Javits Convention Center in New York City; ABC Children’s Group members will have free access to the event with a special promotional code.

Print from "Bruce's Big Move" by Ryan Higgins

Proceeds will once again benefit the American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE), part of the American Booksellers Association’s Advocacy division, and Every Child a Reader, the literacy charity division of the Children’s Book Council (CBC).

A variety of children’s book illustrators are donating original art from a published or forthcoming book to be auctioned off to raise money for the two organizations, which sponsor Banned Books Week, Children’s Book Week, and other activities that support free speech and literacy. This year, at least 75 pieces of art will be featured at the auction, with some of the donated art to be shown at other events, including the ABC Children’s Institute this June.

This year’s auction will also bring authors, artists, publishers, and booksellers together to honor and pay tribute to the late Ursula Nordstrom, former publisher and editor-in-chief of children’s books at Harper & Row from 1940-1973, whose initial stable of authors included Margaret Wise Brown, Arnold Lobel, and Maurice Sendak. Artists who contribute their own work to the auction will also be given the option to create an original piece honoring Nordstrom, to be specially featured at the event.

"Time of Enchantment" by Melissa Sweet

The 2019 auction, which also coincides with the 100th anniversary of Children’s Book Week, will take place on Wednesday, May 29, from 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. in the South Concourse of the Javits Convention Center in New York City.

BookExpo 2019 will be held May 29–31 at the Javits Center, and booksellers can register now to attend. To receive a free badge to the show, booksellers at ABA member stores will need to provide an ABA member number during the BookExpo registration process; booksellers can e-mail [email protected] for their member number.

Attendees can purchase their tickets for the auction on BookWeb.org, but volunteers will also take payment on-site. ABC Group members can e-mail Gen de Botton for the promotional access code to attend the event for free.