The Children's Bookshow illustration auction 2025

Axel Scheffler, Helen Stephens, Jon Agee, Rebecca Cobb and Satoshi Kitamura are among the children's illustrators who have donated artwork to The Children's Bookshow charity auction, to help raise funds for its work in 2026. 

The auction, which will fund an impactful programme of creative work in schools for the National Year of Reading, is now live and will close at 8pm this Sunday 7th December 2025

Find out more about The Children's Bookshow Art and Illustration Auction 2025

The auction, which is now open, includes original artworks and limited edition prints from an exciting variety of well-known children's artists that are available to bid for, including contributions from Alexis Deacon, Catherine Rayner, Neal Layton and Christian Robinson, as well as The Paper Dolls illustrator Rebecca Cobb; creator of How to Hide a Lion, Helen Stephens; 2026 Carnegie Medal for Illustration nominee Jon Agee; and award-winning, internationally-acclaimed illustrator of The Gruffalo and so many other beloved children's books, Axel Scheffler.

The Children's Bookshow Auction includes these illustrations by Gruffalo illustrator, Axel Scheffler

The Children's Bookshow charity arranges visits by children's authors, illustrators, and poets to some 60 schools in the UK each year, free of charge, and runs a range of free in-school workshops. The artists host hands-on creative workshops where children can develop their own storytelling and illustration skills, guided by some of the very best children's book creators.

It costs the charity £17,000 to run the workshop programme each year, giving hundreds of children the opportunity to experience the joy of working creatively, free from any academic pressure. By participating in the auction, members of the public can help to fund this activity for 2026, inspire the next generation of readers, writers, and artists, and ensure that The Children's Bookshow can continue its work in the National Year of Reading.

Since it was established in 2003, The Children's Bookshow has organised over 600 free in-school workshops, with tangible positive impacts. Working directly with authors and illustrators in-school has the power to transform pupils' approach to creative writing and artistic expression, says the organisation.

All the teachers who responded to the charity's 2024 evaluation survey reported that the in-school workshops increased children's confidence in working creatively, with pupils who normally hesitate to participate finding their voices during these sessions and gaining belief in their creative abilities. Some 85% of teachers also reported that the in-school workshop provided by the charity helped increase their pupils' engagement with the author's books.

Many teachers also highlighted the positive impact of putting enjoyment at the heart of literacy, particularly for pupils who struggle to meet the demands of the curriculum. One teacher responded, for example, that "SF Said's approach to editing and re-drafting has made us rethink how we teach story writing. The way he encouraged the students to write freely, made it accessible and successful for everyone".

Illustration by Chris Naylor Ballesteros, Tiny Reindeer, will also be auctioned this weekend

The auction is also a wonderful opportunity for art lovers and book enthusiasts to purchase original artworks and limited edition prints from some of the world's very best children's illustrators, including . Kate Arafa, co-director of The Children's Bookshow, said, "There is a wide variety of pieces to choose from by beloved illustrators and exciting new artists and we are so grateful for their support of our work. Bring the joy of books and reading into your home, find an excellent Christmas present, or a new piece of art to add to a developing collection, while supporting The Children's Bookshow to continue our vital work in 2026."

Bidding has now started and you can find out more at The Children's Bookshow website. 

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