Bologna builds back

After the largely successful London Book Fair in March, this past week’s Bologna Children’s Book Fair confirms that, at least for the books sector, such events are back in business. Bologna is usually both busy and buzzy—yes, the alliteration plays its part—but this year it was positive and energetic too, its new April date providing the longer run-up that London, for some, lacked. As Rebecca McNally, publishing director at Bloomsbury Children’s, told me: “I think the timing, being a bit later this year and after LBF, has helped reinforce it as the main event in the children’s publishing calendar.”

BCBF organisers said the fair opened with 1,524 exhibitors, a jump of 5% on 2023’s final total, representing 82 more companies than the last pre-pandemic fair, with visitor numbers worth watching given how packed it felt in the aisles at times. UK attendees registered a strong international presence, indicative of the growing strength in those markets at a time when the home book trade has become quieter. The parties, for long a feature of a good Bologna, were lively with celebrations for DK, marking its 50th, The Gruffalo at 25, and a Penguin Random House “YA Ball”.

For trade fairs this next period will be particularly important as they move from the post-Covid recovery phase to one of sustainable growth

Trends were as expected with The Bookseller Daily noting that Young Adult and rom-coms/romantasy were the hot titles, with graphic novels on the rise and picture books holding steady, though middle-grade has been called “a tougher sell”. Since this is publishing, there were also concerns about the dominance of Young Adult and rom-coms/romantasy, particularly in taking oxygen away from the younger end of the market, and the consequent impact on a next generation of readers, either starved of good, targeted readables or expected to read up a level. No publishing trend survives for long, with agent Molly Ker Hawn suggesting that this one has reached an inflexion point. “Some publishers are still asking for romantasy, but more are saying they’ve read too much of it and fatigue has set in—though I think agents and publishers often hit a saturation point long before readers actually do.”

For trade fairs this next period will be particularly important as they move from the post-Covid recovery phase to one of sustainable growth. Publishing is not the only sector where face-to-face meetings still matter, with exhibitions businesses now doing well again and, I hope, ready to invest to better serve their customers. Reed, which owns London Book Fair, grew its events operations globally by 17% in 2023 and doubled profits, while the Events Industry Alliance says the sector has put both Brexit and the pandemic behind it. With that in mind, like London, Bologna needs to up its game. There were too few food outlets available at peak times, while the queues to use the facilities were an embarrassment.

More positive is that Bologna’s push into the adult space remains worth watching—though I think fears over its impact on London are wildly overstated—while its new TV/Film Rights Centre, the impressive PublisHer stand, and the relatively new Comics Corner, all speak to a widening lens, and a confidence that its children’s specialism need not curb its enthusiasm.