In Brief: May 12

As part of its Read Every Day literacy campaign, Scholastic launched an online auction of original artwork with a live webcast last week from its headquarters in New York City. The webcast featured 12 children’s book illustrators who contributed art for the auction, which runs through June 5 and will benefit Reach Out and Read and Reading Is Fundamental. Seen here, l. to r., are Jon J Muth, Mary GrandPré, Norman Bridwell, Raina Telgemeier, Bruce Degen, Barbara McClintock, Edwin Fotheringham, David Shannon, Jeff Smith, Sean Qualls, Mark Teague, and Stephen Savage. Click here for more information about the auction, and to view the artwork that’s up for bid.

In late April, nonprofit organization Everybody Wins! New York hosted an event entitled Plant a Seed, Read a Book, in New York City’s Central Park. Random House Children’s Books donated copies of Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax for attendees to take home, and the Lorax himself even made an appearance, as evidenced by this photo. The day’s events included Earth Day–themed activities for children and parents, discussions about conservation, recycling, and gardening, as well as a read-aloud of The Lorax.

Last week, debut author Bianca Turetsky celebrated the release of her novel, The Time-Traveling Fashionista (Poppy, Apr.) with an afternoon tea event at Lady Mendl’s Tea Salon in New York City. Fittingly, given the event’s proximity to Mother’s Day, Turetsky’s mother and grandmother were in attendance, along with several YA and fashion bloggers. Here the author (r.) is joined by her grandmother, Louise Lambert (l.) and her mother, Carol. In addition to being her grandmother, Lambert is the namesake for the story’s heroine, who is transported aboard the Titanic via a vintage dress.