Finding Perfect Picture Books
Insights from the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
I am officially back home from the Bologna Children's Book Fair (BCBF) in Italy, and I am still catching my breath! It was an amazing experience, and I am thrilled to share a behind the scenes look at the trip.
A Mission for Fantastic Books
If you are not familiar with it, BCBF is the absolute center of the children's publishing world. I arrived on a mission to find more great books for StorybookWalk.com, and I was not disappointed.
With one of my Storybook Walk® Editions fixed to the back of my backpack (Thank you Izzy B for letting me use your wonderful illustration from The Mighty McKraken!) and homemade miniature Storybook Walk® Editions in hand, I spent two days bouncing between publisher meetings, walking the great halls of the fair, and marveling at all of the fantastic books available. I absolutely cannot wait to license some of these new picture books and add them to our Storybook Walk lineup!
The Licensing Industry
Walking around the fair, I was completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of beautiful picture books. Although I went to the fair with meetings with various publishers already booked, I actually ended up taking a few more by asking directly at the stands.
Quite a few times I walked by a booth, saw a book I know and love, and found myself pitching to the person at the stand, asking if there was any way that I could talk to their rights person. The feedback was really positive, especially from all of the publishers who already knew the concept of outdoor reading trails. I came home with a notebook full of people who I need to write back to with contracts and terms. So exciting!
Art, Inspiration, and Connection
Between all of the exciting conversations, I took some time to soak in the inspiration. A major highlight was exploring the Illustrator's Wall. It is completely covered in stunning artwork from illustrators from around the world who all came early on Day 1 to try to find a spot to hang their work. Being in the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, I was part of a WhatsApp group of people prepping for the fair, and I saw firsthand just how much time and energy is spent creating postcards, posters, and handouts for the event. The amount of talent at the fair was incredible!
The children's publishing industry is very warm and welcoming. It is easy to start up a conversation. Nevertheless, I hadn’t expected to run into New York Times bestselling children's author Adam Wallace, author of the How to Catch series!
We bumped into each other in the middle of a meeting that I was having with a publisher and made time to catch up at the end of the day. Like a lot of the authors that I know and work with, I had previously only met Adam online, so it was a treat to be able to talk in person. He told me all about his latest work, an incredible graphic novel and musical called Hat Man, which I was able to take with me and read on the plane (Thank you Adam! It was great!).
I met so many wonderful people on this trip. The vibe at the book fair is like no other!
Pizza, Sights, and 50,000 Steps
Of course, a trip to Italy is not complete without the food. When I wasn't busy walking over 50,000 steps on the fair floor, I explored the gorgeous old town architecture and fueled up on authentic pasta and the smallest piece of chocolate cake I’ve ever seen.
Bologna is famous for iconic covered walkways called Porticoes. These are not only beautiful but really came in handy during the rainy days that we had on day 2 and 3 of the fair.
You might wonder why there is a cat in the picture. It was a surprise to me, too. Our hotel had a cat that was as warm and loving as the Italians that I met throughout the city.
I was sad when my last day finished up at the fair, but I knew that it wouldn’t be the last time I visited. I already have BCBF in my calendar for next year.
I love Italy!
What Comes Next
My heart is happy and my notebook is full. We have some wonderful potential partnerships in the works right now, and I cannot wait to share the new titles with you as soon as they are official! Join our Newsletter if you would like to stay informed about our latest stories and news.
That’s all for now. Ciao!
Kelley