Children’s Art Auction: Tickets on Sale Now, Special Student Price Added

The 21st Annual Children’s Book Art Auction and Reception in conjunction with this May’s BookExpo America will feature hundreds of works of art donated by some of the top artists and illustrators working in the book industry today. This year’s event, to be held on Tuesday evening, May 26, at the Grand Hyatt New York (Hotel ABA), will also honor bestselling author Judy Blume, who opened children’s literature to the discussion of problems that kids and teens grapple with every day.

Tickets are on sale now: General admission is $105, and tickets for ABA member booksellers are $10. Bookseller members of the ABC Children’s Group at ABA are admitted for free, but registration is required. Newly added is a special $25 student ticket; students must be over 21 and have a valid student ID to show at the door. Student tickets are limited to one per person.

Artists and illustrators who are interested in donating a work to the auction — anything from a sketch to a finished piece — can find out more from this letter and auction FAQ. The deadline for submitting art is May 1. However, artists who are creating special pieces honoring Blume have until May 15. A donation form is available here.

Donating artists are invited to attend the auction for free; they can register by e-mailing auction manager Inessa Spencer.

The auction is sponsored by ABFE, the ABC Children’s Group at ABA, and Random House Children’s Books (RHCB).

Auction proceeds will support ABFE’s defense of the free speech rights of kids, including the Kids’ Right to Read Project and Banned Books Week. 

The Art Auction and Reception will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on May 26 in the Grand Hyatt New York’s Manhattan Ballroom.