On the floor of the 2023 China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair. Image: CCBF
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
The Shanghai Fair: 480 Exhibitors from 30 Markets
In its 11th edition, the China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (November 15 to 17) is in its sixth year of a 10-year partnership agreement with BolognaFiere and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF, March 31 to April 3).
A leader among Asia-Pacific region events in children’s books and other content, the 2024 Shanghai fair is expected to host 480 exhibitors from more than 30 countries and regions, with an anticipated attendance of more than 45,000 people at its 25,000-square-meter exhibition area (269,000 square feet).
Donna Chai
The fair, according to its organizers, is approved by the Shanghai Press & Publication Administration and organized by Shanghai Xinhua Distribution Group; China Education Publishing & Media Group; and China Universal Press & Publication; with co-organization by Ronbo BolognaFiere Shanghai and support from the BolognaFiere Group.
The influence of Elena Pasoli‘s Bologna Children’s Book Fair and Jacks Thomas‘ Bologna Book Plus programming is evident in much of the exuberant artwork and colorful presentation of the Shanghai program, which is directed by Donna Chai.
A Market’s Movement: New Information To Come
In the 2023 China Shanghai Children’s International Book Fair exhibition space, a wall of Bologna Children’s Book Fair livery among the Italian programs seen in Shanghai. Image: CCBF
Not surprisingly, many in the Chinese market see the promise of a new dynamic in children’s books. Not only has international attendance grown at the Shanghai children’s book fair, the company tells us, but Jiang Yanping’s Beijing OpenBook publishing research group—Publishing Perspectives‘ associate in producing our long-running China Bestsellers reports—has reported since the end of 2023 a jump in the share of the Chinese kids’ book market. In 2012, children’s books accounted for less than 20 percent of the overall book market, we’re told, and by 2022, 10 years later, the youth-oriented sector of the market had grown to 28.62. percent.
We anticipate new figures on the Chinese marketplace, courtesy of OpenBook, during the upcoming Shanghai fair’s professional program and will of course bring them to you has they’re made available to us.
International markets expected to participate in Shanghai’s program this year include Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Designated areas of the fair planned to return this year—these clearly are reflective of Pasoli’s industry-leading programming in the children’s sector—include the Bologna Best Children’s Publishers Lounge, the Strega Prize Lounge, the Asia-Pacific New Entry Lounge, and the Rights Center for translation rights center, all returning this year.
The Golden Pinwheel Illustration Competition
A finalist image from the China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair Golden Pinwheel competition by China’s Olivia Feng. Image: CCBF
Not unlike the Bologna programming, Shanghai’s fair does many things to highlight and honor good illustration work, which often is undervalued—considering that it’s the illustrator’s work that makes the sale, in most cases, calling parents’ attention to good kids’ book cover art in the bookstore. That’s not the text at work unless those parents already know and recognize an author’s name: that’s the illustrator closing the deal.
Many of our readers are familiar with the Shanghai show’s annual Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition, now in its ninth edition, and its 66 finalists represent 19 nations from six continents. Of those 66 finalists, there are 50 based in the Book Publishing category and 16 in the Commercial category.
The jury this year comprises Yukiko Hiromatsu (Japan); Jon Klassen (USA); Morgane Vasta (France); Xiao Aozi (China); and Yao Hong (China) as Book Publishing jurors. Hadi Barkat (Switzerland); Giacomo Benelli (Italy); and the single-named Tango (China) have served as Commercial category jurors.
Together those jurors have reviewed an eye-watering 2,584 entries using a shared online system, and they’ve finalized their selection using digital conferencing.
Like Bologna, the Shanghai International Book Fair has an “Illustrators Survival Corner, presented in partnership with Mimaster Illustrazione, a venue featuring no fewer than 10 master classes, nine creative workshops, and 27 one-on-one portfolio reviews, all designed to sharpen young, emerging illustrators’ approach to professionalism.
By the Numbers
A 2023 session in the Official Conference Room at the 2023 China Shanghai Children’s International Book Fair. Image: CCBF
In 2023, the mid-November China Shanghai International Book Fair reported:
- 25 countries and territories among its markets, indicating that at least 20 percent more international markets are engaged this year
- 42,733 visitors to this primarily public-facing book fair
- 19,086 professional visitors
- 91 speakers and guests
- 329 professional programs and reading promotion activities
There are eight conferences planned for Shanghai this year, and we’ll have more on that in coming days.
A Programming Note
One-on-one business networking in the China Shanghai International Book Fair professional program. Image: CCBF
Chinese and Global Children’s Publishing Market Analysis: 2024 Trends and Data
November 15
10 to 11:15 a.m.
Official Conference Room (also known as the Copyright Zone)
Access: Open to all exhibitors, VIPs, media and on-site professional visitor with a program pass.
A keynote speech from a C-level executive at OpenBook will provide the newest market analysis in this program, followed by a panel on New Trends in the International Children’s Book Market, moderated by Publishing Perspectives and featuring:
- Nicolas Roche, directeur général chez Bureau international de l’Edition francaise (BIEF)
- Catherine Stokes, export sales and marketing director, at the UK’s Nosy Crow
- Prashant Pathak, director of publishing operations, Prakash Books (India)
- Cristina Pase, managing editor, Windy Hollow Books (Australia)
More from Publishing Perspectives on the Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair is here. More from us on China’s market is here, our closely followed China Bestsellers series produced in association with Beijing OpenBook is here, and more on children’s books is here.