The Prize: The Kelly Milner Halls “Wonders of Weird” Prize Pack includes …

Albino Animals

Tales of the Cryptids

Dinosaur Parade

Dinosaur Mummies

• Four signed books by Author Kelly Milner Halls! FOUR!
• • Dinosaur Mummies
  • Dinosaur Parade
  • Tales of the Cryptids
  • and Albino Animals

But WAIT! There’s more!

• Autographed booksmarks
• A Bigfoot keychain
• A raptor claw fossil replica (dinosaur),
• A sample of real dinosaur bone more than 65 million years old and …
• A real coprolite more than 65 million years old — that’s dinosaur poop — the most popular feature of Kelly’s school visits!

The Darer: Kelly Milner Halls is a quirky nonfiction author and speaker, specializing in “weird” (but cool) books for young readers including Tales of the Cryptids, Albino Animals and her upcoming release, Saving the Baghdad Zoo.  From Bigfoot to albinism to dinosaur poop, she offers reluctant readers a pathway to literacy in a most unusual way.  Halls studied journalism before she dedicated herself to writing for kids, so as odd as her topics may be, they are rooted in top notch research.  She makes her home in Spokane, Washington, where she also works as Chris Crutcher’s zany assistant.

The Dare: Place a minimum bid of $35 by leaving a comment, then outbid the highest bidder until you win!  Value: Priceless.

*Did you bid on this auction? Don’t forget to enter our drawings for fabulous giveaways.*

Receive a reminder before the auction closes.

• Your choice of THREE autographed copies of any of the seven titles below.
• Each book also has an original Scott Magoon little drawing in it. *GASP*!  (You may specify your choices when the auction closes.)
  

  Ugly Fish

  

  Spoon

  

  The Luck of the Loch Ness Monster

  
  

  

  Mystery Ride

  

  Otto Grows Down

  

  Hugo & Miles in I've Painted Everything

  

  Rabbit & Squirrel

  
  

  • Spoon
  • Otto Grows Down
  • Mystery Ride
  • Luck of the Loch Ness Monster
  • *Rabbit and Squirrel
    
  • Hugo and Miles in I’ve Painted Everything
  • **Ugly Fish

• *Rabbit and Squirrel come with pins (one of Rabbit and one of Squirrel)
• **Ugly Fish comes with a pin as well!

The Darer: Scott Magoon currently works as the art director for Houghton Mifflin children’s books in Boston. His book illustration debut

Scott Magoon

swam on to the scene with the publication of Ugly Fish, written by Kara LaReau. Ugly Fish won the Bulletin of the Center of Children’s Books blue ribbon in 2006, and a Bilby award, an honor bestowed by Australia’s school children. In 2007, Hugo and Mile in I’ve Painted Everything and The Luck of the Loch Ness Monster were published and featured in the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show as well as its annual exhibition in New York. The Luck of the Loch Ness Monster was also selected as one of the NYPL’s 100 Books for Reading and Sharing for 2007. It was also selected as a finalist in the Texas Bluebonnet Award for 2008.  In 2008, Rabbit & Squirrel, a Tale of War and Peas and Scott’s own Mystery Ride! arrived in bookstores. Rabbit & Squirrel was selected as a Borders Original Voices pick. Mystery Ride!, Scott’s second authored book, is in stores now and is based on his adventures growing up in New Hampshire and Maine.

This year, Otto Grows Down by Michael Sussman made its debut, a time and space-bending tale, cautioning us to be careful of what we wish for. Also this year causing a stir is Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosental.  Spoon is about a little utensil who comes to know and love his own place in the universe. Spoon was selected as an IndieBound IndieNext list.

Scott thinks the best books for children take the ordinary, make it extraordinary and let them know “it’s all going to be ok. Now go to bed.” Scott currently lives in Massachusetts with his wife and two young sons.

The Dare: Place a minimum bid of $35 by leaving a comment, then outbid the highest bidder until you win!  Value: Priceless.

*Did you bid on this auction? Don’t forget to enter our drawings for fabulous giveaways.*

Receive a reminder before the auction closes.

• Your choice of THREE autographed copies of any of the seven titles below.
• Each book also has an original Scott Magoon little drawing in it. *GASP*!  (You may specify your choices when the auction closes.)
  

  Ugly Fish

  

  Spoon

  

  The Luck of the Loch Ness Monster

  
  

  

  Mystery Ride

  

  Otto Grows Down

  

  Hugo & Miles in I've Painted Everything

  

  Rabbit & Squirrel

  
  

  • Spoon
  • Otto Grows Down
  • Mystery Ride
  • Luck of the Loch Ness Monster
  • *Rabbit and Squirrel
    
  • Hugo and Miles in I’ve Painted Everything
  • **Ugly Fish

• *Rabbit and Squirrel come with pins (one of Rabbit and one of Squirrel)
• **Ugly Fish comes with a pin as well!

The Darer: Scott Magoon currently works as the art director for Houghton Mifflin children’s books in Boston. His book illustration debut

Scott Magoon

swam on to the scene with the publication of Ugly Fish, written by Kara LaReau. Ugly Fish won the Bulletin of the Center of Children’s Books blue ribbon in 2006, and a Bilby award, an honor bestowed by Australia’s school children. In 2007, Hugo and Mile in I’ve Painted Everything and The Luck of the Loch Ness Monster were published and featured in the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show as well as its annual exhibition in New York. The Luck of the Loch Ness Monster was also selected as one of the NYPL’s 100 Books for Reading and Sharing for 2007. It was also selected as a finalist in the Texas Bluebonnet Award for 2008.  In 2008, Rabbit & Squirrel, a Tale of War and Peas and Scott’s own Mystery Ride! arrived in bookstores. Rabbit & Squirrel was selected as a Borders Original Voices pick. Mystery Ride!, Scott’s second authored book, is in stores now and is based on his adventures growing up in New Hampshire and Maine.

This year, Otto Grows Down by Michael Sussman made its debut, a time and space-bending tale, cautioning us to be careful of what we wish for. Also this year causing a stir is Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosental.  Spoon is about a little utensil who comes to know and love his own place in the universe. Spoon was selected as an IndieBound IndieNext list.

Scott thinks the best books for children take the ordinary, make it extraordinary and let them know “it’s all going to be ok. Now go to bed.” Scott currently lives in Massachusetts with his wife and two young sons.

The Dare: Place a minimum bid of $35 by leaving a comment, then outbid the highest bidder until you win!  Value: Priceless.

*Did you bid on this auction? Don’t forget to enter our drawings for fabulous giveaways.*

Receive a reminder before the auction closes.

Bubble Homes and Fish Farts (the book)

• A copy of Bubble Homes & Fish Farts, autographed by both writer Fiona Bayrock and illustrator Carolyn Conahan.

• A dozen invitation cards, (6″ X 4″) featuring 3 different illustrations from the book (see below) , PLUS …
• Signed prints of the same gorgeous llustrations, (roughly 10″ x 8″) to frame and keep!

Print 1

Print 2

Print 3

• Plus: Coloring pages! Directions for very silly bubble-using-creature hats! Directions to make splendid bubble-makers from house-hold objects! Recipes for super-duper bubble solutions! And last but not least: tips and tricks and bubble facts, for bubble party success! WOWOWOW!  Throw your kiddo a bubble party right now, while you enjoy the art!

The Dare: Place a minimum bid of $35 by leaving a comment, then outbid the highest bidder until you win!  Value: Priceless.

*Did you bid on this auction? Don’t forget to enter our drawings for fabulous giveaways.*

Receive a reminder before the auction closes.

• One hardcover edition of either the bilingual or all-English edition of the book when it is released this Fall signed by the creator, illustrator and author Elizabeth O. Dulemba

Soap, soap, soap! (the book)

One limited edition, signed giclee print of the cover art (#2 out of 50 – a $175 value)

Soap, soap, soap! Giclee Print

• An activity kit including a coloring book from e’s collection of Coloring Page Tuesday images, Soap coloring pages, a bilingual word find puzzle, recipes (including Mud Pie cookies), and more! WOW!!!!
  

  Coloring Page Tuesdays

About Soap, soap, soap!  (bilingual Soap, soap, soap ~ Jabón, jabón, jabón!) from Raven Tree Press

Soap, soap, soap!

Hugo’s mamá sends him to the store to buy soap. Of course, Hugo takes the long way there which gets him into loads of trouble and plenty of mud. With all his adventures, he keeps forgetting what he’s supposed to buy at the store. But through each mishap he’s somehow reminded he needs soap, soap, soap ~ jabón, jabón, jabón!  Hugo ends up a muddy mess, but he finally prevails. He buys the soap and returns home only to discover that his mamá plans to use the soap on him!

Soap takes the classic Appalachian Jack Tale and gives it a modern twist. The story now takes place in a small rural town with a sweet little troublemaker named Hugo. The artwork is drawn with graphite and rendered digitally using bright, happy colors reminiscent of this playful tale.

The story is presented in English text with embedded Spanish in rojo. The sprinkling of Spanish easily introduces key words using both story context and illustrations to aid in the fun and learning. A vocabulary page is also included to jump start learning in either language.

Elizabeth O. Dulemba

The Darer: Award-winning illustrator, Elizabeth O. Dulemba, was beamed to this planet with a pencil in her hand. Once she stopped chewing on it, she began to draw and write. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the University of Georgia, and after 15 years in the corporate world decided to chase her dream to illustrate children’s books. She now has several available including Paco and the Giant Chile Plant, a 2008 Moonbeam Bronze Medal winner (also published by Raven Tree Press). She enjoys sharing her passion for children’s books at schools and events, is the Illustrators’ Coordinator for the Southern region of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, on the Board for the Georgia Center for the Book, and teaches at the John C. Campbell Folk School in the Southern Appalachian mountains. Soap, soap, soap ~ Jabón, jabón, jabón is Elizabeth’s first book as both illustrator and author.
Elizabeth lives in Atlanta with her husband Stan, two big dogs, and a tiny cat who rules them all. Visit her website to learn more and download free coloring pages, www.dulemba.com.

The Dare: Place a minimum bid of $35 by leaving a comment, then outbid the highest bidder until you win!

*Did you bid on this auction? Don’t forget to enter our drawings for fabulous giveaways.*

Receive a reminder before the auction closes.

• 

  The Ghosts of Luckless Gulch

  An autographed copy of “The Ghosts of Luckless Gulch,” illustrated by Dan himself.  Meet Estrella. She can run so fast that she burns up the air, leaving trails of flames wherever she goes. Her pets — a Kickle Snifter, a Sidehill Wowser, and a Rubberado puppy — are as untamed as California, and the pride and love of Estrella’s heart. When the greedy ghosts of old gold miners steal her pets, Estrella will need every bit of her pluck and nimble-footedness to rescue them from the ghosts of Luckless Gulch. From the author of Swamp Angel and the artist who created The Replacements comes a tale as unpredictable as the California Gold Rush, as tall as a Redwood tree, and as surprising as a skunk selling perfume. Pull a chair up to the wood stove and get ready to laugh!

• and this gorgeous 16 X 20 inch handsigned Giclee print created by Dan Santat. WOAH!  Don’t let this one get away!!!!

Dan Santat

The Darer:  Dan Santat. One day a year he is Santa Claus, but the other 364 days Dan Santat works as a children’s book writer and commercial illustrator while fighting crime on the side.  He is also the creator of Disney’s animated hit, “The Replacements.” Dan graduated with distinction from the Art Center, College of Design. He lives in Southern California with his wife Leah, his son Alek, a rabbit, a bird, and one cat.  He is also the illustrator of numerous books for children including Tammie Sauer’s CHICKEN DANCE (Sterling, Aug 2009) and Lisa Yee’s BOBBY VS. GIRLS (ACCIDENTALLY).  Check out his hilarious blog at http://dantat.typepad.com/

The Dare: Place a minimum bid of $35 by leaving a comment, then outbid the highest bidder until you win!  Value: Priceless. *All winners must take the solemn critiquee oath.*

*Did you bid on this auction? Don’t forget to enter our drawings for fabulous giveaways.*

Receive a reminder before the auction closes.

Chris Crutcher

The Prize: The Chris Crutcher Prize pack includes:

• at least two signed books
• a poster
• bookmarks
• 10 Chris Crutcher anti-censorship wristbands
• a DEADLINE t-shirt
• all neatly packed in a Chris Crutcher tote bag. WOW!!!!!!

The Darer: Chris Crutcher is a world famous YA author and speaker known for his realistic fiction and frequently banned books.  His latest book, Angry Management — a book of three novellas — revisits three characters from previous Chris Crutcher novels including The Sledding Hill, Whale Talk, Athletic Shorts and Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes.  Crutcher‘s work as a child and family therapist and child protection advocate has helped make him a moving speaker.  His humor and good nature have made him near legendary.  He makes his home in Spokane, Washington — that is when he’s home, which is rare.

The Dare: Place a minimum bid of $35 by leaving a comment, then outbid the highest bidder until you win!  Value: Priceless. *All winners must take the solemn critiquee oath.*

*Did you bid on this auction? Don’t forget to enter our drawings for fabulous giveaways.*

Receive a reminder before the auction closes.

• An autographed copy of Lester Fizz, Bubble-Gum Artist by Ruth Spiro
• a mini gumball machine bank
• a bubblegum-scented pen
• bookmarks with bubble-blowing tips from Lester Fizz
• and a set of art supplies, sure to inspire a masterpiece! Wow-wow-wow!

Ruth Spiro

The Darer: Ruth Spiro is the author of Lester Fizz, Bubble-Gum Artist (Dutton). Her articles and essays have appeared in The Writer, FamilyFun, Child, and Woman’s World. Her stories have also been published in popular anthologies, notably The Right Words at the Right Time, Volume 2: Your Turn, edited by Marlo Thomas, and several Chicken Soup for the Soul titles.

Ruth is also the Founder of Bubble Gum Day, a FUN-draising school holiday featured by The Washington Post Express, U.S. Census Bureau’s Profile America, and even NASA! (Learn more at www.bubblegumday.com)

About Lester Fizz, Bubble-Gum Artist

Lester Fizz, Bubble-Gum Artist

Born into a family of artists, Lester Fizz feels he doesn’t fit in… until he discovers his own unique talent in an unexpected medium – bubble gum! Lester and his family are influenced by many well-known artists, whose paintings, sculpture and photographs are referenced throughout the text and illustrations. Readers will recognize works inspired by Degas, Homer, Lange, Matisse, Picasso, Seurat, Van Gogh and more. Surrounded by these works of artistic genius, Lester Fizz finds his own hilarious path to creative expression.

The Dare: Place a minimum bid of $35 by leaving a comment, then outbid the highest bidder until you win!  Value: Priceless. *All winners must take the solemn critiquee oath.*

*Did you bid on this auction? Don’t forget to enter our drawings for fabulous giveaways.*

Receive a reminder before the auction closes.

• a hard bound edition of the book signed by both the illustrator Mary Peterson and author Caroline Arnold
• THREE 8×10 signed Giclée* archival fine art prints from the original book art–perfect for giving your child’s room, or any room in your house, incredible charm!
• A packet of carrot seeds to start your own garden and …
• an activity kit that includes a Wiggle and Waggle poster, popcicle stick puppets, sheet music for Wiggle and Waggle’s Gardening Song, recipes for a rainy day picnic (including bug juice and dirt rolls!), and more! WOW!

*Click images to view larger size.*

Print 1

Print 2

Print 3

“Mary Peterson is an amazing illustrator. How rare is it to get autographed Giclee prints from the illustrator herself?! This is something you will pass down from generation to generation. You must have the adorable Wiggle and Waggle in your home. DO NOT let these critters get away.” – Cynthea Liu

About Wiggle and Waggle

Follow Wiggle and Waggle, two wormy best friends, through five wormy chapters as they dig in the dirt, work hard, and have fun swimming and singing. Beginnings readers will dig the simple science facts included at the end of this charming book.

Mary Peterson

The Darer: Children’s picture book illustrator Mary Peterson tells funny stories with her art. Her books include award-winning Wiggle and Waggle Charlesbridge) and No Time to Nap (Heyday books); coming soon from Charlesbridge, Piggies In The Pumpkin Patch, which she also co-authored. Mary lives in Los Angeles with her husband and a 20 lb cat named Sumo.

The Dare: Place a minimum bid of $35 by leaving a comment, then outbid the highest bidder until you win!  Value: Priceless. *All winners must take the solemn critiquee oath.*

*Did you bid on this auction? Don’t forget to enter our drawings for fabulous giveaways.*

Receive a reminder before the auction closes.

Cynthea Liu

The Prize: The Cynthea Liu Author Prize pack includes an autographed copy of each of Cynthea books—Paris Pan Takes the Dare, The Great Call of China, and Writing for Children and Teens: A Crash Course, along with two handsome mini-Terra Cotta Warrior statues, a set of unique wooden Terra Cotta Warrior bookmarks, a cute jade bracelet, a Paris Pan Takes the Dare keychain mini-flashlight, and a foam basketball. The perfect fun gift for yourself or tweens you know.

The Darer: Cynthea Liu is the author of Paris Pan Takes the Dare, The Great Call of China, and Writing for Children and Teens: A Crash Course. She is also the host of this kickin’ launch party, and the woman behind the website Writing for Children and Teens. Learn more about Cynthea.

Paris Pan Takes the Dare

The Dare: Place a minimum bid of $35 by leaving a comment. Value: Priceless.

*Did you bid on this auction? Don’t forget to enter our drawings for fabulous giveaways.*

Receive a reminder before auction the closes.