Among the many events of the packed opening day here at Bologna Children’s Book Fair, a presentation from Ricardo Franco Levi and the team at the Association of Italian Publishers (Associazione Italiana Editori, AIE) included facts and figures on the robust children’s book market in our host country, Italy. So strong is the trade-visitor turnout this year that at times getting through the halls from one meeting to the next requires a few detours as aisles become all but impassable.
In the lunch hour on Monday (February 6), we saw lines of more than 30 people at food stands, and the newly configured, high-walled exhibitions in the central “services” area were teeming with browsing viewers. The Market of Honor Greece pavilion was opened by the personable and engaged Greek deputy minister of culture and sports Nicholas Yatromanolakis with a throng of people squeezing into the central omicron-shaped chamber to hear his welcoming comments.
And just next door, the Bologna Book Plus stage was running back-to-back presentations, one of which was a handy presentation of points about the youth book market in Italy.
For further reading: Publishing Perspectives, by Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief: publishingperspectives.com/2023
Photo: Picardo Franco Levi, president of the Associazione Italiana Editori and of the Federation of European Publishers, speaks on the opening day of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, March 6. Image: Publishing Perspectives, Porter Anderson
