The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression has received an initial royalty check from sales of the Coffee House Press title Read This! Handpicked Favorites From America’s Indie Bookstores, compiled and edited by Micawber’s Books owner Hans Weyandt.

The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression has released several videos of bestselling authors Sherman Alexie and Laurie Halse Anderson discussing how to fight the censorship of young adult books.

BookStats annual survey results announced; BEA author events to be streamed live; “Buzz Books 2013: Fall/Winter” released; Prospective booksellers learn the ropes at Paz workshop; Midwest Booksellers Choice Awards finalists announced; Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl challenged at Michigan school; Winner of Hugh Hefner First Amendment Award announced; Bookmasters to distribute TGS International

A Glen Ellyn, Illinois, school district has banned Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower from eighth grade classrooms, but parents, teachers, students, and the Kids’ Right to Read Project are asking the district to reconsider its decision.

Booksellers, publishers, authors, and anyone else who loves children’s book art or feels strongly about kids’ right to read should be sure to have the Annual Children’s Book Art Silent Auction and Reception on their BEA calendars. For book industry professionals who can’t make it to the auction, those who just want to double their opportunity to bid on great art, and members of the public, ABFFE has added an online auction component.

With double the number of works of art compared to last year, a special tribute to Maurice Sendak, and hosts Jack Gantos and Lauren Myracle, the May 29 Children’s Book Art Silent Auction & Reception at BEA is shaping up to be a stellar event. Thanks to a donation from the Estate of Maurice Sendak, auction participants will be able to bid on a sketch of Little Bear on tracing paper signed by the beloved author and illustrator.

A special section of this year’s Children’s Book Art Silent Auction at BEA will honor the late Maurice Sendak, the beloved author and illustrator of classic children’s titles and a passionate defender of free speech. A number of illustrators will be creating special artworks commemorating Sendak that will be auctioned off at the event.

Pubs for the Hub to raise funds for Boston; Intuit’s “Make a Wish” contest for small business owners returns; ALA’s list of most challenged titles released; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt announces Take 5; Books Are My Bag to launch in U.K.; Simon & Schuster in pilot program with New York City libraries; Ingram adds Ebook Library titles to OASIS

Tickets for the annual Children’s Book Art Silent Auction & Reception at BookExpo America are on sale now. In addition to remarkable art from new books, this year’s auction will feature pieces created in honor of Maurice Sendak, who mentored and inspired so many artists and fought vigorously against efforts to censor In the Night Kitchen.

ABFFE and the ABC Children’s Group at ABA are seeking donations of original art for the 2013 Children’s Book Art Silent Auction and Reception at BEA.  This year’s event will be on Wednesday evening, May 29, and will be hosted by bestselling authors Jack Gantos and Lauren Myracle.