This year's fair was pretty bleak...but not due to attendance (the fair was positively bustling) or down to sales (deals were plentiful). A dark shadow hung over the book fair aisles...Dystopian fiction had arrived. Reflecting numerous natural disasters that have shocked the world in recent months, werewolves and vampire titles could now be seen battling post-apocalyptic disaster books for chart-topping success.

The Bologna Children’s Book Fair is the most important international event dedicated to the children’s publishing and multimedia industry.  In Bologna, authors, illustrators, literary agents, licensors and licensees, packagers, distributors, printers, booksellers, and librarians meet to sell and buy copyright, find the very best of children’s publishing and multimedia production, generate and gather new contacts while  strengthening professional relationships, discover new business opportunities, and debate the latest sector trends.

The fair typically attracts approx. 1300 exhibitors from 67 countries and 4763 international professional trade representatives.