News
Today begins the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the largest international children’s book fair. Nearly 1,400 exhibitors from around the world will be presenting their publications for children; the fair is visited by around 26,000 people a day. This is the 55th edition of the fair, and the guest of honor this year is China.
Many countries organize collective booths at Bologna, among them Poland. The Polish presentation is traditionally prepared by the Book Institute. This year a record number of twenty-eight children’s book publishers will be presenting their wares. Among them are publishers with long legacies, such as Nasza Księgarnia and Media Rodzina, and smaller ones, such as Wolno. We are also presenting books that have been selected and awarded in the Book of the Year competition organized by the Polish section of IBBY. The exhibition is accompanied by a folder with information on awards, designed by Anna Niemierko, one of this year’s award winners.
As every year in Bologna, we have cause to celebrate – Bologna Ragazzi Awards 2018 are going to Magdalena Kłos-Podsiadło (Wytwórnia Publishers) and Dorota Hartwich (Format Publishers) and their authors: Madalena Matoso for Mountain Maker! and Joanna Concejo for The Lost Soul, a finely illustrated story by Olga Tokarczuk. We also have a nomination for the BOP – the Bologna Prize for the Best Children’s Publishers of the Year. This year Dwie Siostry Publishers is nominated.
The winners of the Hans Christian Andersen Awards, known as the Little Nobel, are also traditionally announced during the Bologna Fair. The shortlist includes one of Poland’s best illustrators, Iwona Chmielewska, alongside competitors from Argentina, Austria, China, Russia, and Switzerland.
Come visit the Polish booth – Hall 21 B1! The fair continues until Thursday 29 March.