Join In The Great Children In Read Auction!


Fancy a signed book from your favourite author? Or even a character in a book named after you or a loved one? The Children In Read team can help!

This team of seven dedicated volunteers run an online auction each year on behalf of The BBC Children in Need Appeal.

Now in its seventh year, The Authors’ & Illustrators’ Auction has been growing in scale each year, raising more and more funds for Children In Need.

How does it work?

Renowned authors and illustrators donate signed and dedicated books, which they personally mail out to their successful bidders, books which we place on to the online site.

Authors and illustrators who have donated items include Neil Gaiman, Lynda La Plante, Joanne Harris, Nigella Lawson, Sophie Kinsella, Cressida Cowell, Mary Beard and Tim Peake.

There is not only the chance to bid for books on the site. Other lovely additions include…

  • having characters named after yourself in an author’s next novel
  • authors’ rare signed proofs
  • illustrators’ original sketches.

Trisha Ashley’s son Robin (a renowned costume designer) creates a unique book back bag each year to go alongside her book!

How to bid

Interested bidders can gain access to the site here.

All proceeds are passed straight to @BBCCiN