On 17 November 2024, the 11th China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF) successfully concluded at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre. The fair was approved by Shanghai Press & Publication Administration, organised by Shanghai Xinhua Distribution Group Co., Ltd., China Education Publishing & Media Group Ltd., and China Universal Press & Publication Co., Ltd., co-organised by Ronbo BolognaFiere Shanghai Ltd, and powered by BolognaFiere. As the leading fair entirely dedicated to books and specific contents for children in Asia Pacific, the CCBF serves as an extensive platform for industry professionals to exchange insights while offering a vibrant and engaging reading experience for families and children alike.
This year’s exhibition covered an area of 25,000 square metres, attracting 497 exhibitors from 32 countries and regions, and showcasing over 20,000 new titles. According to post-show statistics from the organisers, on-site book sales exceeded RMB 20 million, with more than 1,200 copyright trading meetings. The fair successfully appealed to a total of 41,263 visitors, including 17,081 professionals. Throughout the event, 353 professional activities, new book launches, and reading promotion events were held, fully demonstrating the vitality and diversity of the children’s book market.
This year’s CCBF brought together 180 international publishing and cultural organisations from across five continents, showcasing its strong global influence. Among the exhibitors were multiple award-winning publishers, including recipients of prestigious accolades such as the Bologna Award for Best Children’s Book Publisher of the Year and the Premio Strega Award for Children’s Literature. Notable participants included Fukuinkan Shoten (Japan), Corraini Edizioni (Italy), Libros Silvestres (Argentina), as well as Edizioni EL (Italy) and Terre di Mezzo (Italy).
The CCBF featured a diverse range of exhibition formats. In addition to national exhibition groups from organisations such as the British Publishers Association, the Bureau International de l’Edition Française (BIEF), the Polish Book Association, the Consulate General of Canada in Shanghai, and the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea (KPIPA), which showcased the overall strength of their respective countries’ children’s book industries, there were also many collective exhibition models led by individual organisations. “Publishers Without Borders”, an online non-commercial organisation founded in 2020, made its debut with a collective booth, selecting the CCBF as its launch platform. Moreover, a multitude of overseas publishers made their first entry into the Chinese market, including GOS EDUCATION INC. from the US, NUINUI from Italy, PIE Books from Japan, Five Mile Press from Australia, and Wizard Within from Malaysia, bringing fresh international elements to the fair. Throughout the fair, thousands of copyright trade activities were actively conducted, with international publishers and Chinese counterparts engaging in in-depth discussions and exploring cooperation opportunities.
As a barometer of the children’s book market, this year’s fair hosted nine professional forums, delving deeply into the current landscape and future development trends of the children’s book market. A highlight was the inaugural “International Children’s Book Publishers Dialogue” Conference, during which Beijing Openbook revealed the data for China’s children’s publishing market for the first three quarters of 2024. The data showed that the children’s book retail market remains the largest segment in the overall book market by sales. On the international front, significant progress has been made in promoting children’s books along the “Belt and Road” countries as well as in Europe and the United States, further advancing the internationalisation of Chinese original literature. Karine Pansa, President of the International Publishers Association (IPA), emphasised that children’s reading plays a vital role in fostering lifelong readers. She stressed the need for the publishing industry to prioritise diversity and sustainability, while underscoring the importance of publishing freedom and global cooperation.
The forum on “Transformation and Reshaping of Children’s Publishing” summarized the current challenges and the evolving path of the children’s publishing industry. It highlighted that publishers must focus on securing pricing rights and preserving the industry’s voice. They also need to strike a balance between content quality and the demand for publications. The forum emphasized the importance of enhancing publishers’ ability for self-research and originality, while also exploring digital transformation and innovative models for copyright collaboration. In addition, the forum on “The Sustainable Development of Children’s Reading Spaces and Bookstores” centred around how physical bookstores face challenges and seek development in the era of digital reading. It proposed practical and innovative strategies for bookstores, such as organising the reading space by age groups to better cater to children’s needs and introducing international children’s book resources to enrich the offerings.
Guided by the Printing and Distribution Bureau of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the CPC, and jointly organised by the Printing Technology Association of China, China Universal Press and Publication Co., Ltd., and the China Children’s Book Printing Innovation Industry Alliance, the launching ceremony of the “Children’s Book Green Printing Innovation Exchange Meeting and Comparative Research Project on the Modernization of the Children’s Book Printing Industry Chain in China and Abroad” was held during the CCBF. This initiative aims to promote the standardization and environmental sustainability of children’s books in terms of design, development, printing processes, and material applications.
The special exhibition “Children Plus: A Fabulous Wardrobe. Fashion, Clothing and Threads in Children’s Picture Books”, supported by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair and curated by an international team, has become one of the striking highlights of the event. It showcases over 150 outstanding picture books from 21 countries. Visitors had the opportunity to explore Queen Elizabeth II’s dresses from different decades and discover the biographies and creative concepts of renowned fashion icons like Yayoi Kusama, Coco Chanel, and Paul Smith. Moreover, the exhibition features Chinese picture books that highlight intangible cultural heritage crafts and ethnic cultures, including The Golden Embroiderer, The Li Brocade, and Hercules. These picture books not only impart knowledge and showcase the beauty of visual arts, but also play a vital role in emotional and aesthetic education, sparking the early development of children’s self-awareness.
To commemorate the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo’s death, supported by the Italian Cultural Institute of the Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai, and in collaboration with the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the Giannino Stoppani Cooperativa Sociale / Accademia Drosselmeier, the CCBF launched a special exhibition titled “Marco Polo: Traveller, Merchant, Storyteller”. The exhibition showcased 50 picture books that tell the story of Marco Polo’s remarkable travels. Through these children’s books from around the world, the exhibition vividly illustrated Marco Polo’s pivotal role in the history of cultural exchange and his impactful life in human civilization.
As a special event of the CCBF, the 2024 Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrator Competition attracted a total of 2,584 submissions from 72 countries and regions. Of these, 50 works were shortlisted in the Book Publishing category and 16 in the Commercial Application category, all displayed during the fair. Chinese illustrator Heimi’s Time Machine and Romanian illustrator Alexandra Mirzak’s Unexpected Guests won the Book Publishing category Domestic and International Gold Awards respectively, showcasing the universal appeal of art across borders. Chinese illustrator Wang Yingli’s Winter in the Old City, Mexican illustrator Armando Fonseca’s The Animal that Lives in the Stone, and Iranian illustrator Pavan Haidarizadeh’s An Ominous Shadow on the Wheat Field received the Book Publishing category Special Mention Awards. Chinese illustrator Zhang Jiayi’s Master Bao’s Pastry stood out for its originality and commercial potential, winning the Commercial Application category Gold Award. Additionally, Chinese illustrator Lu Yanhao’s Let’s Ride, French illustrator Len Hashim’s Le Tanneur Christmas Season, and Italian illustrator Daniel Morganti’s Crispy McBacon received Commercial Application category Special Mention Awards.
The Illustrator Survival Corner is a special program created by the CCBF in collaboration with the Bologna Children’s Book Fair and the Mimaster Illustrazione. It has garnered enthusiastic participation from numerous young illustrators and students. A total of 54 illustrators from China and abroad, including Jon Klassen, Yukiko Hiromatsu, Cai Gao, Xiao Aozi, and Xiong Liang, were invited to take part in 15 master forums, 9 workshops, and 27 one-on-one mentoring sessions, drawing a total of 1,957 illustrators and picture book enthusiasts. This series of events seeks to not just showcase the unique charm of illustration art but also support the growth of young illustrators in the children’s book industry.
The Avenue of Illustrators attracted 89 illustrators and art organisations from 27 cities, showcasing creativity from diverse cultural backgrounds. The “New Dream” International Little Illustrator Competition Illustration Exhibition featured over 100 selected works from the competition, international exchange works, and public welfare pieces created by children from Shanghai and Yunnan. This exhibition provided a platform for children from home and abroad, urban and rural areas to showcase their creativity.
Over the past eleven years, as a highly influential cultural brand in the Asia-Pacific region, the CCBF has played a significant role in elevating Shanghai’s international cultural standing. Through continuous innovation and alignment with international standards, it has facilitated the exchanges between Chinese and foreign children’s book publishing, promoting cultural diversity. The fair was bustling with visitors, with many traveling from across the country to experience this reading celebration firsthand. The exhibition not only highlights the immense vitality of the children’s literature market but also drives growth in peripheral consumption, promoting the integrated development of business, tourism, culture, and sports. On-site, the cross-border integration of business models was evident everywhere, creating a thriving market ecosystem and demonstrating the CCBF’s powerful influence as a trendsetter in the industry.
