Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2025: Hopeful signs from the global meeting ground for children’s books

The publishing world gathered in the historic Italian city of Bologna this past week for the biggest event on the global children’s book calendar — the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF). 

Opening morning at the fair

In four days at the Bologna fairgrounds in the city’s northeast, publishers, agents, authors, illustrators, librarians, booksellers, distributors, printers and many others came from the four corners of the Earth — to promote our authors and illustrators, do business and discuss ways forward in the face of digital and economic challenges. 

This 62^nd edition of the fair brought 1,577 exhibitors from 95 countries, and a total of 33,318 trade visitors — an increase of 5% from 2024. 

New Zealand was there thanks to the collective stand organised by the Publishers Association of New Zealand (PANZ), under its contract for international literature promotion with Creative New Zealand. 

With sharply increased costs for global exhibitions but no increase in the international budget for well over a decade, the New Zealand presence relies on collegiality, much volunteer time, and the support of our freight partner Book Systems International. 

Stand set-up last Sunday: Trace Moroney and Katherine Shanks (above), me with Chris Shaw (below)

Chris Shaw, general manager of Book Systems in New Zealand, was there in person, and together we got our books to our stand last Sunday and helped with the set-up, overseen by the unflappable Katherine Shanks of PANZ. 

 

Oratia was fortunate to have our Rome-based foreign rights manager Maria Leonardi helping me, alongside esteemed colleagues Eboni Waitere and Pania Tahau-Hodges of Huia Publishers and Trace Moroney of EQ Publications. 

Cheers to the Oratia's Italian team: Milan-based Anna Spadolini
(our European agent, left) and Rome-based foreign rights manager Maria Leonardi

Allen & Unwin, Auckram Publishing, Cultural Hub, Illustrated Publishing, Mila’s Books, One Tree House and Scholastic also had their books on display, with Lynette Evans of Scholastic and Rachel Lawson of Gecko Press the fair as well. 

 

Book fair routine is to arrange meetings in half-hour slots at either party’s stand, which calls for a level of fitness and patience to thread through the crowds between the four large pavilions. 

 

A sample of opening day meetings with author/translator Lawrence Schimel (Spain), Alejandra Ramos Henao and team (Enlace Editorial, Colombia), Anjola Ayodeji (Ouida Books, Nigeria), Goksun Bayraktar (Black Cat Agency, Turkey) 

For me that meant almost 40 formal meetings with partners from 26 countries, leading on later each day to various receptions, cocktails and dinners with many others. A lot of talking and a lot of books!

 

Dreaming up more New Bums with our publishing partners from Dover Publications, New York;
from left Patty Sullivan, Theresa Trinder and Betina Cochran

Among other outcomes, those meetings firmed up deals for more in our global hit New Bum Series, translations and distribution of some of our new books, and confirmation of two exciting trilingual publications to publish in 2026 under our international Five Oceans imprint. 

There’s no overnight success in this game: those results comes after years of fair attendance and networking. New entrants need all the help they can get, which is why PANZ mentorship remains key to New Zealand’s export promotion. 

 

Celebrating Five Oceans forthcoming Tamil-Māori-English edition of the classic Thirukkural with Sankara Saravanan (right)
 and Dr P. Shankar of the Chennai International Book Fair

Overall, it’s fair to say that the decline in global reading levels, effects on literacy and authorship of digital media and AI, and the rise of trade protectionism are all weighing on sentiment among book publishers and their partners. 

Always a pleasure to meet up with our sub-agent Shin Su of Bookman, Taiwan

But if anything, that recognition is redoubling the commitment of the children’s book world to re-engage young readers, and stay true to the exchange of books and ideas that fuels cultural expression and international understanding.

BCBF provides a vibrant platform for that trade, with its central malls hosting ample illustrators’ exhibitions and a plethora of panel sessions. 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney in discussion at The Illustrator's Café

Across the fair were illustrators’ and translators’ zones holding non-stop workshops and presentations, a bustling agents’ centre, and the BolognaBookPlus zone where adult publishers also get to share in the rights activity. Amazingly, there are well over 500 separate events during the fair’s four days.

Particularly busy were the stands of 2025 guest of honour Estonia, and Chile and the Philippines (both upcoming countries of honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair). 

Having this honour status turbo-charges business and cultural opportunities; we’ll be following up on productive discussions with the Philippines in particular.

 

At left Eli Camacho, illustrator and publisher of Manila-based Adarna House, with Mitch Balladares from the National Book Development Board Philippines

The attention shown to Mila’s Books, after it took out the BOP Bologna Prize for Best Children’s Publisher Oceania, demonstrates the value of a physical presence here (only those who exhibit are eligible). That win continues a string of successes for New Zealand publishers in the awards (Huia won last year, while Oratia scooped the prize in 2021).

 

Hearty congrats to Dahlia Malaeulu of Mila’s Books, who’s also the author of Oratia's book Moana Oceania: Sāmoa. 

Great supporters of Mila Books and our Moana Oceania series: David and Sarah DeLuca of Bess Press, Hawai'i

To all the Oratia authors and illustrators, we couldn't be here without you and hope that exposing your work to the world will make a difference. 

Sincere thanks to the PANZ council and team – Katherine on site and Courtney Sina-Meredith and Gemma Finlay back in Auckland – for their hard work to keep Aotearoa in the international game.

And a big grazie mille to the fair's brilliant director Elena Pasoli, her fab team (special mentions to Deanna Belluti and Irene Rinaldi), and BolognaBookPlus organisers Jacks Thomas and Sheerin Aswat, for making this such a productive and stimulating few days. 

Viva Bologna!

 

— Peter Dowling, Publisher

Bologna Children's Book Fair 2024 expands international reach for Oratia authors and illustrators

What an outstanding four days it has been at the Bologna Children's Book Fair 2024. 

Oratia Books again joined colleagues from around Aotearoa on the New Zealand collective stand in Hall 25 of this major meeting ground for children's books — alongside over 1500 other exhibitors from around the world.

Bologna, the bustling capital of Italy's prosperous Emilia-Romagna region, turned on great weather for all but one day, accompanied by its superlative food and wine for business dinners late into the evenings.

The Bologna fairgrounds were packed, especially on Tuesday 9th, and the Aotearoa NZ stand led by PANZ member services manager Katherine Shanks was a busy scene of enquiries and encounters. 

The Aotearoa New Zealand stand, ably managed by PANZ's Katherine Shanks (at work at bottom right)

Stand set-up and social meetings occupied the weekend, with the fair proper running from Monday to Thursday.

Our experience confirmed the Bologna Children's Book Fair (BCBF) analysis, that the fair and the children's book trade are back to levels not seen since the Covid-19 pandemic. 

There were 31,735 professional visitors across the four days, an increase of 10% on last year (this video gives a snapshot of the busy, global traffic on the opening morning).

For Oratia Books I completed about 40 meetings during the fair days (helped by organisational whizz Juliet Dreaver), with most of our major partners, agents and suppliers covered plus some exciting new discoveries. 

It was also a thrill to walk the halls with Maria Leonardi, the Rome-based publishing expert who is now helping Oratia with its international rights activity. 

With Maria Leonardi – a great publishing friend and, like me, a dual Italian and New Zealand citizen

Slovenia was this year's guest of honour, showcasing on its children's authors and also (following the fair's traditional focus on illustration) with a major exhibition of art in the main lobby. 

There is no substitute for meeting face-to-face to make and renew business relationships, and no better way to present books (a 3D, tactile product in which content is but one factor) than around a table. 

It's gratifying to see how with fair attendance each year, our authors, illustrators and creative team gain more recognition internationally, and sales potential expands.

Clockwise from top left: celebrating the success of Dawn McMillan and Ross Kinnaird’s New Bum series with our US partners, Patty Sullivan (left) and Betina Cochran of Dover Publications; with querido amigo and our Latin American agent Pablo de la Vega; catching up with Latvian illustrator Elīna Braslina and US-Spanish author and translator Lawrence Schimel, creators of our board books Bedtime, Not Playme and Early One Morning; and meeting one of the courageous Ukrainian contingent, Olha Pisotska (centre) of Ranok Publishing, alongside New Zealand’s Juliet Dreaver. 

Now to the weeks of following up with exchange of materials and ideas, and the months of exchanges and negotiations that will be approaching conclusion by the time of the next big event on the publishing fair calendar, the Frankfurt Book Fair in October. 

Arrivederci Bologna, until next year

— Peter Dowling, Publisher

Bologna Book Fair in New Zealand Books, New Zealand in Books Ireland

New Zealand books, authors and publishers on the international stage feature in two publications out now.

Peter's report on the Publishers Association of New Zealand (PANZ) presence at this year's Bologna Children's Book Fair is in the latest edition of New Zealand Books Pukapuka Aotearoa.

Click here to go to the New Zealand Books website and find out about getting your copy of this valuable publication.

Meanwhile, the Irish book trade magazine Books Ireland features New Zealand in its latest edition, billing this on its cover as 'New Zealand: So far, so close'.

The coverage stems from PANZ's hosting of current Publishing Ireland President Ivan O'Brien on a visit to New Zealand last year, supported by Creative New Zealand's Te Manu Ka Tau programme.

Ivan reports in the magazine on his ongoing exchanges with New Zealand the similarities and differences between his market and ours.

Also featured in Books Ireland's March/April 2018 edition are Anton Blank's analysis of contemporary Māori writing, an article on Māori publishing and a visit to Time Out Books in Auckland all feature.

For more visit the Books Ireland website.

Coming home to the Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2018

The Piazza Maggiore in central Bologna

It was a thrill for me to represent Oratia at the four-day Bologna Children’s Book Fair last week. 

Although it was our first time there, it was a little like a homecoming: my wife and co-director Alessandra Zecchini hails from the next-door province of Modena.

At the opening ceremony on Monday 26 March

The world’s premium event for children’s books takes place in the Bologna Fiere, just outside the historic centre of this city that hosts Europe’s oldest university and a rich gastronomic tradition. As fairgoers enthuse, it’s impossible to eat badly in Bologna.

The PANZ stand, with our assistant Giulia Bondioli ready for business

Oratia joined the Publishers Association of New Zealand stand along with literary agent Frances Plumpton and five other publishers (Black Chook Books, Gecko Press, Millwood Press, OneTree House and Upstart Press). We also represented David Ling’s Publishing superb children’s imprint, Duck Creek Press. 

Opening day: from left Frances Plumpton, Peter, Kathryn Enchmarch (Black Chook Press) and Sophie Siers (Millwood Press)

The stand may have been small, but its location in a busy aisle of the fair’s Hall 25 ensured a prominent showing of New Zealand picture books, junior and young adult fiction and non-fiction, as well as a special display of works by Joy Cowley (who was shortlisted for the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award). 

The Hans Christian Award Finalists list; Japan's Eiko Kadono took the authors award ahead of a strong list including Joy Cowley

All present had a steady train of meetings with publishers and agents from many countries, and a good number of walk-ons the stand. Copies of our Bologna brochure, featuring new titles and our children’s backlist, and of the Duck Creek Press catalogue, lasted just till the final afternoon on Thursday 29 March. 

Oratia Books and Duck Crek Press titles on the NZ stand

Oratia Book's 12 Huia Birds on display along with other nominees for the BOP Bologna Prize for Best Childrens Publisher of the Year. OneTree House won the Oceania Award for 2018.

Fair regulars remarked that the fair was busier than in previous years — no surprise given that the exhibitor total of 1390 was up by 8.6% from the previous year. That activity speaks to the good times for children’s and young adult books worldwide, with growing sales and profile despite slowing birth rates in many Western countries. 

Including visiting publishers, authors and illustrators, over 100 countries were represented — with China, as this year’s country of honour, putting up an especially strong showing. 

Peter Dowling with Elena Pasoli, Director of the Bologna Children's Book Fair

The Kiwi presence was well noted, with Fair Director Elena Pasoli telling me it was “a great source of pride to have New Zealand at the fair.” Creative New Zealand not only enabled the stand, but also supported a presentation by Taupo-based illustrator-author Donovan Bixley, and Publishers Association hosting of Sarah Mullen, director of the UK’s Bournville BookFest for children’s books. 

Donovan Bixley with Sarah Mullen of the Bournville BookFest

Links made at Bologna are set to lead to more international distribution, editions and opportunities for our fab children’s writers. Alla prossima, allora!

– Peter Dowling