This issue was solved using a custom template for twenty eleven called Page of Books found here: http://codex.wordpress.org/Pages#Page_Templates
Don’t Panic! The instructions are easy to follow. Really.
Then I installed the plugin named Image Widget by Modern Tribe. This widget was the best one for my needs and I didn’t need a text widget to accompany it—there are text options for the title and for the body.
I haven’t been able to solve the vertical positioning as of yet as I would like to move the whole side-bar down about 200px. I’ll try and post the answer about that when I figure it out.
-cheers!