New York Is Book Country was an annual literary festival that featured bookstalls set up across the city as well as ancillary events for bibliophiles of all ages. The fair was founded in 1979 by publishing executive Linda Exman to encourage readers to interact directly with publishers, bookstores, small presses and libraries. It began as a one-day event along Fifth Avenue and grew into a multi-day literary festival with fully-pedestrianized streets fairs and events across the five boroughs. Each year, a different artist was commissioned to create the annual poster, and designs came from Keith Harring, Margaret Cusack and Maurice Sendak. Sendak designed the inaugural poster in 1979 and was later invited to create many more including the 10th, 20th and 25th anniversary posters (see lots 56 and 169), continuing his long collaboration with the fair which was last held in 2010.

Present here is Sendak's original artwork for the 2003 poster celebrating New York Is Book Country's 25th anniversary. Sendak chose to honor the victims of 9/11. Children are shown in clothes representing the first responders, pilling books up high in the image of the World Trade Center's Twin Towers. The painting has retained its color and remains exceptionally vivid.