On April 14 — 16, 2026 our Sales representative Jana Līkuma attended the Bologna Children’s Book Fair — the world’s leading trade fair for the children’s publishing industry. This was the 63-ed edition of this annual event, and it hosted around 1500 exhibitors from 90 countries and regions around the world. Besides the exhibition, the fair has also featured BolognaBookPlus (BBPlus), the event specifically for generalist publishing and organised in collaboration with the Italian Publishers Association (AIE), and Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids (BLTF/Kids) focused on brands for children and young people.

Here are Jana’s impressions:

“This was my first visit to the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, and within the first few hours it became clear that this is not just an exhibition, but a global meeting place where publishers, agents, illustrators, and printing partners from all over the world come together in one place. The presence of the European and British participants was particularly noticeable, but Asian markets were also widely represented, giving the entire event a very international dynamic.

From a professional standpoint, what impressed me most was the level of visual quality — the illustrations have become bolder, more conceptual, and more visually expressive than ever. At the same time, the importance of print quality was also very evident: the choice of paper, matte finishes, embossing, and various varnish effects are playing an increasingly significant role in the final product.

Several key themes recurred in discussions with publishers and industry representatives. There is a growing demand not simply for the cheapest options, but for flexible and reliable printing partners. The market is described as saturated, yet quality remains the decisive factor, and delivery speed and reliability are also becoming increasingly important.

However, the biggest surprise for me was the comics and graphic novels section. It was much larger and more significant than I had expected. Graphic novels are becoming an increasingly important format in the children’s and young adult segment, and independent publishers stood out in particular with their bold, distinctive visual language. It was clear that comics are no longer a niche but an essential part of modern publishing. From a printing perspective, there is also a lot of experimentation in this segment — various formats, papers, and interesting black-and-white or two-color solutions.

Overall, this experience gave me, as a Sales specialist, a very clear direction. Our value in the market isn’t just about price — it’s about our ability to adapt to customer needs, ensure quality, and be flexible in terms of print runs.

This trip wasn’t just inspiring — it was also very valuable on a practical level. I returned with a much clearer understanding of the market, customer needs, and how to conduct negotiations in a much more targeted way. And one thing is clear — this definitely won’t be my last trip in Bologna!”