#Bologna Children’s Book Fair

[ippnoida]

Bologna Children’s Book Fair – bigger than ever

Life is too short to read a bad book. – James Joyce

Hardly four weeks after the London Book Fair, it was Bologna’s turn to open its doors in front of a large demonstration for a cease-fire in Gaza and the liberation of all hostages, both those in Palestinian and those in Israeli custody.

The Bologna Children’s Book Fair was again configured in three co-located sections – the main children’s book fair, a generalist (non-children’s) extension under the heading Bologna Book Plus, and the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids. New features in the program were the TV/Film Rights Centre in collaboration with the United Nations and the Society of Illustrators in New York, and the Audio Forum, added to the existing Literary Translation Forum in partnership with app developer Beat Technology. Also new for 2024 was the Licensing Portfolio Review, an opportunity to bring together consumer goods and audiovisual companies with illustration and design talents to create new business opportunities.

In its fourth year, BolognaBookPlus (BBPlus) included the topical programme India in the Limelight, with exhibition spaces, book jacket exhibits, copyright exchanges, and training workshops on rights selling, author representation, scouting, and writing and self-publishing. This year’s emphasis on the Indian book market was organized in cooperation with the National BookTrust of India. With BBPlus’ Literary Translation Forum returning for a third year, the centerpiece there was Taiwan’s book industry. 

The Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids (BLTF/K), dedicated to brands and the licensing of content for children, teenagers, and young adults, was held for the 17th time as an integral part of BCBF, with a Licensing Business Lounge and features such as matchmaking events for companies in the fashion and retail sectors. In a collaboration with Licensing Magazine, BLTF/Kids also organized the 4th edition of the International Kids Licensing Days – three days of in-depth discussions with international brands on issues related to content for children and young adults, from licensing to publishing, from audiovisual to gaming. Some of the topics discussed continue to be available online on demand, including digital publishing, animation, omnichannel retailing, sustainability, and toys.

Bologna Global Rights Exchange online

BCBF also has an online rights exchange platform, the Bologna Global Rights Exchange database, GRE. Powered by the international rights platform PubMatch since 2020, it has some 20,000 titles and offers exhibitors the opportunity to present their titles and brands, create and name their own showcases, search content and trends, and schedule and hold calls directly on the platform.

The system is open to publishers, agents, agencies, scouts, licensees, licensors, developers, audiovisual producers, and service providers. It is free to all in-person BCBF exhibitors.

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Asia was also high on the agenda at the other two book fairs that were held recently – the Leipzig and Brussels book fairs. With 2085 exhibitors, including 445 at its Manga Comic Convention, the Leipzig Book Fair was attended by 283,000 visitors, both from the trade and the general public. At the Manga Comic Convention, several publishers from Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia had taken large booths. The Brussels Book Fair, with 380 booths and 75,000 trade and other visitors, had installed a large ‘Manga Village’ representing several Japanese publishing houses.

Bologna awards

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Among the winners of the BolognaRagazzi Awards, aimed at highlighting the most beautiful and innovative picture books published worldwide, three publishers from South Korea received special mentions – Atnoonbooks for its Mo Story, Woongjin ThinkBig for the book As You Drive, and Sakyejul for the title Rice Cake House of a Tiger. 

Another of BCBF’s awards is the Bologna Licensing Award for agencies, licensees ,and retailers on an international level, to enhance the content link within the entire supply chain as the basis of success. This year, a new category was introduced, dedicated to the Best Licensed Sustainable Project, to reward companies and brands that care about the future of the planet through the development of sustainable consumer goods and projects for children, teens, and young adults.

The next BCBF has been scheduled for 31 March to 3 April 2025. 

[zivazivc]

I'm going to the Bologna children's book fair next week. last time I went I saw a section with rottmnt merch back when rise barely came out (or maybe even a little before it premiered?), and I walked up there like in a trance. after a few minutes some assistant ushered me away because I walked in on a business meeting between international sellers that was happening a few meters away from me while I was busy admiring the shelves lmao

anyway fingers crossed I can walk into a mutant mayhem meeting this time

[kwojciechowicz]

Bologna Children's Book Fair: Illustrators Wall 2024

This year I applied for the Virtual Illustrators Wall at the Bologna Children's Book Fair. I chose Ratty playing on the banjo, from "Wind in the Willows" because of the feeling of spring captured within this image, it correlates to the weather I'm experiencing in Poland, full of promise and life sprouting.

#kamaarts #illustrator #illustratorswall #BolognaFiere #kamilawojciechowiczkrauze #windinthewillows #bookillustration

[pedromoyaglez]

I am happy to announce that you can see my work at the Bologna Book Fair Virtual Illustrators Wall! https://www.bolognachildrensbookfair.com/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=10793&illustrator=6643&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1HXCqAvODH78S-3m1GsRPTvxqT5kWoVmiKhtAqjNttiUUkjFh8CTD8oWk_aem_AQakqai-CK2a_hU61jbG2uvuKC91mKYCEyC8Tx3dykQYFSJ90mkZo7FWMeBz6_WTMJ9F7KA03__jVUxNuKVDAYL_

[elenaceccatoillustrations]

Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2024

Quest’anno la mia Bologna Children’s Book Fair è stata davvero intensa! Tanti appuntamenti, tanti colleghi da riabbracciare, tanti nuovi contatti e conoscenze, tanti progetti in cantiere che spero prima o poi di realizzare...

[claudeforthomme]

Bologna Book Fair 2024: Looking For New Trends

Bologna Book Fair poised between the past (pandemic high levels of sales aare forgotten now) and the future (what will AI do?). So what's next? Find out the start of an answer here

This year, the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF), the biggest fair in the world for children’s literature since it was launched 61 years ago, opened in Bologna, Italy, on Monday, April 8. Lasting for four days, it was a big success, drawing 1,523 exhibitors from 100 countries, with Slovenia as the guest of honor and China back in full force. I was among the many who attended, with over 31735…

[marcogiovenale]

dal 6 marzo a bologna: "ababo boom!"

A partire dal 6 marzo 2023, l’Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna promuove il programma ABABO BOOM!, realizzato in collaborazione con Hamelin, Canicola, Alliance Française e Istituto di Cultura Germanica, nell’ambito di BOOM! Crescere nei libri, il festival dei libri e dell’illustrazione per l’infanzia organizzato in occasione della Bologna Children’s Book Fair. ABABO BOOM! comprende un ciclo di…

[neil-gaiman]

Betsy Bird reporting on “Censorship of Books: what is the state of children’s book banning around the world and what is being done?” from the Bologna Children’s Book Fair is a must read, not only for the David Levithan speech that gives the article it’s title, but Giorgia Grilli’s explanation of how politics has kept ALL books except textbooks out of Italian schools. https://afuse8production.slj.com/2023/03/08/discussion-this-is-an-effort-to-push-kids-back-in-the-closet-and-they-dont-care-if-they-kill-themselves-there-censorship-and-book-banning-around-the-world/

That's a fabulous article. (Giorgia Grilli is one of the smartest people I've ever talked to about children's books.)

[dora-papp]

Bookish friends in Bologna this week: if you'd like to check out my Hungarian neopagan "viking" guy, you can find my novels Bolyongó (Wanderer) and Rúnatánc (Runedance) at the Hungarian stand at the BCBF24 Bologna Children's Book Fair! 🇭🇺

[lovsome]

hi guys ! 🌷 sorry for being so inactive lately, i spent the last month preparing for Bologna Children’s Book Fair and i went for three days and it was a very overwhelming but positive experience.. i showed my portfolio to many publishers and some were interested in my work so there is a possibility that all of this might even lead to some work so who knows… im very exhausted but im glad i tried !!!

[acornerofnowhere]

Got hours to kill before my flight to Bologna Childrens Book Fair so I thought I'd head into town and see the sights. Hadn't appreciated until now how fiendishly difficult it is to simply "walk out" of an airport.

[zivazivc]

IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM THE BOLOGNA CHILDREN'S BOOK FAIR!!!

they made miraculous dolls with sequins that you can flip over to switch between their regular clothes and their superhero outfits!!

I am taking full credit for the creation of this idea thank you

[literaticat]

Hi Jenn, is publishing as a whole (agents, editors/publishers, etc.) mostly closed for the long Easter weekend with normal business resuming next Tuesday? I'm a bit confused as am in Europe and reading conflicting things about the two main publishing hubs (London, UK and NYC, US). Some say it's a public holiday in UK (but not sure if both Friday and Monday or just Good Friday). Others say neither are federal holidays in USA. So is it a case where some people in UK and/or US might be open to business today but not Monday or both today and Monday while others might choose to take one or both days off to have a long holiday weekend? It seems less clear than with other holidays!

In the UK, I believe both today (Good Friday) and Monday (Easter Monday) are technically Bank Holidays -- so while some individual people might be working, of course, lots of people are out of office and the offices are probably closed.

Neither are a bank holiday in the US, so, while I believe offices are technically open, lots of people take the long weekend off, or have children, who are probably off school for Spring Break this whole week through the weekend, and so they are off as well.

Based on the out of office replies I've been getting this week, I'd say that the majority of folks in the US who ARE out this week are coming back on Monday or Tuesday -- though of course some individuals might have next week as well.

That said, I've also had offers this week and plenty of business and emails coming in, so clearly not everyone is out!

(To add to that, the Bologna Book Fair is April 8th week, so SOME people who are attending that are taking off NEXT week as well to get to Italy early -- but that's not everyone, of course, and offices are open. It's just that meetings and such may be delayed if BigWigs are off eating gelato or whatevs).

[dinonfissatoaffetto]

Al Bologna Children's Book Fair "Nuvole zero felicità ventitré" è risultato tra i migliori 15 libri di narrativa del biennio 2021- 22. Davvero un grande onore essere in questa Honour List 🙏

Felice anche per la motivazione:

"Una narrazione ben articolata, una voce narrante credibile, un tono a tratti scanzonato, l'assenza di qualsiasi  didascalismo portano il lettore all'interno di azioni che finiscono per interrogarsi su amore, relazioni e cambiamenti."

[mayamiyamaillustration]

今夜は中秋の名月🌕🐇🌾🍡

雲間☁️から見えるかな？

「デイジー・サラ・ベスと真夏の日」より。

⚫︎2016年ボローニャ国際絵本原画展入選

⚫︎ 2018年A’デザイン& コンペティションSilver A’Design Award受賞

⚫︎2020年第5回北京国際ブックフェア Ananas International Illustration Exhibition 最終選考ファイナリスト

Tonight is the harvest moon 🌕🐇🌾🍡

Can we see it from between the clouds ☁️?

From my work “Daisy Sara Beth and Midsummer day“ ⚫︎2016 Bologna Children’s Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition selected

⚫︎ 2018A’DESIGN AWARD & COMPETITION Silver A’Design Award Winner

⚫︎ 2020 Beijing International Book Fair Ananas International Illustration Exhibition Finalist