ABFFE Holiday Auction Begins Dec 1

Illustration of Eagle and Eaglets from A Bald Eagle's World

Once again I have contributed a piece of my art to the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE), the bookseller's voice in the fight against censorship,  to help raise money to defend the free speech rights of kids in an online auction that launches on December 1. The week-long eBay auction will include work by Eric Carle, Rosemary Wells, Jon J Muth, Laura Vaccaro Seeger and Steve Light and many others. I have contributed a giclee print of one of my cut paper art illustrations for A Bald Eagle’s World.

Proceeds of the auction help support the Kids' Right to Read Project (KRRP), which is co-sponsored by ABFFE and the National Coalition Against Censorship. Since the start of the school year, KRRP has been fighting a rash of book challenges in school districts from Texas to New York. KRRP helped reinstate seven banned books in Highland Park, Texas, including The Art of Racing in the Rain, The Working Poor: Invisible in America, Siddhartha, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, An Abundance of Katherines, The Glass Castle: A Memoir and Song of Solomon.

BANNED BOOKS WEEK, September 21-27, 2014, Celebrating the Freedom to Read

(reposted from the ABFFE September 26 Newsletter)
Booksellers around the country are participating in Banned Books Week, the national celebration of the freedom to read. Hundreds have created displays of banned and challenged titles, and many have organized events.

Independent bookstores are enthusiastic supporters of Banned Books Week, but as small businesses many do not have the resources to participate. To make it as easy as possible, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE), the bookseller's voice in the fight against censorship, has joined the Ingram Content Group in distributing a free promotional kit that contains everything a bookstore needs to create a display, including a full-sized poster, "Caution" tape, bookmarks, stickers, and a flyer with detailed information about last year's book challenges. One hundred and sixty bookstores ordered the kit. 

Censorship affects all of us. To find out more about Banned Book Week celebrations and events, go to www.bannedbooksweek.org .

ABFFE Children's Book Art Auction A Big Success! (repost from ABFFE)

NEW YORK, NY, June 18, 2014 -The two auctions of children's book art that were held in conjunction with this year's BookExpo America were a great success, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) reported today. The sale of 150 pieces by leading artists and illustrators raised $56,000 to defend the free speech rights of young readers. The BEA auction, co-sponsored by ABFFE and the ABC Children's Group at the American Booksellers Association, was held in the River Pavilion of the Javits Convention Center. An online auction was conducted the following week. The BEA auction, which was chaired by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, featured a variety show by the Slushpile Family Circus, a group of authors and artists who displayed some of their non-literary talents. Shannon Hale and Michael Buckley organized the show. "We had a lot of fun and the art was superb," ABFFE President Chris Finan said. "We are tremendously grateful to Jarrett, Shannon and Michael and to the artists and bidders who made the auction such a big success."

             

The BEA auction also featured a tribute to Dr. Seuss. Thirty artists created pieces honoring him. The Seuss Foundation donated three limited edition prints.

Auction proceeds support Banned Books Week, the annual celebration of the freedom to read, and the Kids' Right to Read Project, which is co-sponsored by ABFFE and the National Coalition Against Censorship.  

[I donated a print "Mother and Baby Panda" from my book A Panda's World to the auction. I was delighted to discover that it was purchased by my good friend Cathy Bonnell. ]       

MOTHER AND BABY PANDA PRINT in ABFFE ART AUCTION

Mother and Baby Panda Print at ABFFE Auction, June 2014

An auction of more than 50 pieces of art created for children's books launched on eBay yesterday, the  American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE), the bookseller's voice in the fight against censorship, announced.   The ABFFE Children's Book Art Auction, which supports the free speech rights of kids, features many original works and high-quality prints by some of the leading artists and illustrators working in the book industry today, including Harry Bliss, Rosemary Wells, Bob Staake, Robin Preiss-Glasser, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Matt Phelan, and Brian Briggs and one of my prints, Mother and Baby Panda from my book A Panda's World.
The auction ends on June 9.

 NOTE:  The ABFFE auction is over but you can still get the print by going to my art gallery at Etsy. Click HERE to go directly to the mother and baby panda print.

ABFFE Holiday Art Auction: Illustration from A KILLER WHALE'S WORLD Helping Support Free Speech

Illustration for pages 8-9, A Killer Whale's World (PictureWindow Books, 2006)

A full-size print of an illustration from my book A Killer Whale's World will be one of more than 70 pieces of children's book art in the ABFFE Holiday Art Auction on eBay.

The auction launches on eBay on Tuesday, Nov. 26, at noon, Eastern Time. "We need help telling people about this wonderful source of holiday gifts,” ABFFE President Chris Finan said. "If you have a web site, you can connect directly to the auction using our new web badge. Or you can just tell a friend.”
The web badge can be copied from the ABFFE web site and connected to eBay using this link.  It is also available to American Booksellers Association members in the BookWeb DIY's Designs & Downloads.

The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE), is the bookseller's voice in the fight against censorship. The week-long eBay auction will feature work from the leading artists and illustrators working in book publishing today. More than 50 artists and illustrators contributed to last year's auction. "The Holiday Children's Art Auction will give people around the country a chance to purchase wonderful holiday gifts and support free speech," ABFFE President Chris Finan said.

The holiday auction is the online version of the children's art auction that is held during BookExpo America (BEA). Both auctions help support ABFFE's defense of the free speech rights of kids. The BEA auction will be held on May 28 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the River Pavilion of the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City.

UPDATE from Chris Finan:
NEW YORK, NY, Dec. 5, 2013 - The Holiday Children's Book Art Auction that closed Tuesday hit a new high, raising more than $10,000 to help defend the free speech rights of kids.  Winning bidders walked away with 80 pieces by leading artists and illustrators.  "We are delighted by the success of this year's auction," Chris Finan, president of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE), said.  "The holiday auction has grown rapidly since it was launched last year.  We are very grateful to the artists for their support."  ABFFE, the bookseller's voice in the fight against censorship, uses the proceeds of the auction to support the Kids' Right to Read Project, which assists people fighting book challenges in schools and libraries, and Banned Books Week, the annual celebration of the freedom to read. 

Art from A PENGUIN'S WORLD Helping to Support Free Expression at BEA

"Penguin's First Swim" from A Penguin's World (PictureWindow Books, 2006)

A book is challenged in a school or library in the United States almost every day. Just this month the Chicago Public Schools banned Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel Persepolis in middle school classes.

The good news is that the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE)--the bookseller's voice in the fight against censorship, is leading the fight against book censorship. Its Kids' Right to Read Project (KRRP), co-founded with the National Coalition Against Censorship, is providing critical support for the students, parents, teachers, and librarians who are fighting challenges in their local communities.

That's why ABFFE has agreed to co-host the 19th Annual Children's Book Art Silent Auction at BookExpo America. Proceeds will support ABFFE's defense of the free speech rights of young readers. The event will be held on Wednesday, May 29, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the River Pavilion of the Jacob Javits Convention Center.  There will also be an online auction. It begins on Saturday, May 18 at 9am and closes on Friday, May 24 at 9pm. It can be found here: http://myworld.ebay.com/abffe. Feel free to spread the word. ;) For more info, please visit the auction's website.

I have donated "Penguin's First Swim" from my book A Penguin's World (Picture Window Books, 2006) to the auction.  It will be available in the online auction. Check it out!
And, if you are planning to attend BEA, please stop by ABFFE.

Art Auction and Banned Books Week

Boxing Kangaroos from A Kangaroo's World, pages 18-19

Update December 4:

Chris Finan reports a that over $7,500 has been raised in the holiday auction—a 50 per cent increase over last year.  It was clearly a very successful event!  I'm happy that I could be part of it.

The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) is holding a children’s art auction on eBay in support of the freedom to read.
The auction begins on eBay at noon, November 27 Eastern Standard Time, and will run through Dec. 3.  The auction homepage is http://myworld.ebay.com/abffe
I have contributed a giclee print from my book A Kangaroo’s World.  The art contributed to the auction doesn’t just raise money for ABFFE and the defense of the free speech rights of young readers--it also helps draw attention to Banned Books Week, held annually in September, which is the only national celebration of the freedom to read. ABFFE President Chris Finan says, “The Holiday Children’s Art Auction gives the public a rare opportunity to bid on art from some of the book industry’s leading artists and illustrators.  At the same time, they will be supporting the free speech rights of kids.”  ABFFE is a co-founder of the Kids’ Right to Read Project and a sponsor of Banned Books Week.
Check out the site and help contribute to this good cause!