Some of the illustrated work on show at Frankfurter Buchmesse during Bologna Children’s Book Fair’s ‘Grand Tour’ Stop. Image: BCBF
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
Next Stop: China Shanghai International
As you’ll remember, during Frankfurter Buchmesse last week, the annual “Grand Tour” of children’s literature imagery from Elena Pasoli‘s Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF) made an appearance at Frankfurt, in Hall 5.0, at Stand B63.
Following this, the show is to tour to:
- China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF, November 14 to 16), co-organized by BolognaFiere;
- Feria Internacional del Libro de Guadalajara (November 29 to December 7);
- Die Spielwarenmesse (January 27 to 31);
- Festival International de la Bande Dessinée d’Angoulême (January 29 to February 1); and
- New York City, with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in illustration. This tour stop (dates not announced) is in association with the SDG Book Club, from the UN Publications Office and the International Publishers Association (IPA). The Bologna Children’s Book Fair is a partner in the SDG Book Club.
This year’s is the fifth edition of the illustration show, and a networking event of course was held to present various opportunities in the field for professionals in entertainment.
On the shelves in the touring selection were titles published between June 2024 and July 2025, each considered by jurors to excel for their literary and visual quality, as well as their narrative originality.
Elena Pasoli
The works are divided into the categories of illustrated books, fiction, poetry, nonfiction, comics and graphic novels, books for early childhood, all brought together in a catalogue produced with the support of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair and the Association of Italian Publishers (Associazione Italiana Editori, AIE).
The exhibition also offered visitors a chance to follow guided tours accompanied by Grazia Gotti, co-founder of the Giannino Stoppani bookshop and the Accademia Drosselmeier, as well as a member of the IBBY Italia Choice 2025 selection committee.
As Publishing Perspectives readers know—many of them avid book-business travelers, themselves—Bologna is the world’s largest international trade show dedicated to young readers’ content and a quickly expanding portfolio of associated sectors and businesses.
The two main channels in which that expansion of fields can be found are:
- Bologna Book Plus (BBPlus), led by Jacks Thomas and geared toward the generalist publishing industry beyond youth work. It’s mounted in association with the Association of Italian Publishers (Associazione Italiana Editori, AIE); and
- Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids (BLTF/Kids), emphasizing licensing and brands for kids and young people.
Jacks Thomas
You’ll recall that Bologna’s Grand Tour had a preview at Cologne’s GamesCon at the end of July, connecting with that show’s dynamic in the development of animation projects for television series.
At Toulouse, the Bologna tour has been an official partner of the Cartoon Forum, contributing Bologna’s expertise in matchmaking events between publishers and producers, broadcasters, distributors, and investors this afternoon, September 18.
The BCBF focus was in the Toulouse show’s TV/Film Rights Center.
Visitors to the Bologna ‘Grand Tour’ look over illustrations at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2025. Image: BCBF
More on Bologna Children’s Book Fair is here. More from Publishing Perspectives on illustration is here, more on merchandise and licensing is here, more on children’s books is here, more on the Italian market is here, and more on world publishing’s trade shows and book fairs is here.
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