Amanda Palmer, eight months pregnant and exquisitely painted, recreates Damien Hirst’s Verity statue (top) in a performance art piece for the New York Public Library’s children’s book drive. Proud papa-to-be Neil Gaiman (bottom) extends a loving hand to this modern-day nude descending a staircase, after donating a copy of his own charming children’s book, Chu’s Day.

For more of Palmer’s beautiful bibliophilia, treat yourself to her bewitching poetry readings of Polish Nobel laureate Wislawa Szymborska.