The internet is a truly fabulous thing for those of us that couldn’t be at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair this year. Since Monday, I have been enjoying it vicariously by reading blog posts, press releases, twitter messages and looking at images from the fair. I let out a big cheer when I watched the live video feed announcing that The Tamer Institute for Community Education was the winner of the 2009 Astrid Lindgren Award, and I have been truly taken away by the sheer talent of this year’s BolognaRagazzi Award winners.

Unfortunately, the impact of the downturn in worldwide economies is being felt in Bologna. Jean Feiwel, Senior VP at Macmillan Publishing, is quoted at saying “I knew attendance was down when I walked right into the ladies’ room”, but at the Publishers Weekly’s blog, Craig Virden says “There seems to be very little panic talk. US editors are the big no-shows, but it’s my impression that most folks just consider this prudence.”

Award winning cartoonist and children’s book illustrator Doug Cushman kindly sent us his candid impressions of attending the fair:

The first day was light in terms of attendance—not that unusual, though, when it comes to first day. The booths are smaller this year, and many are half the size they used to be. There were some obvious empty floor spaces that had been filled by booths in previous years.

The folks I talked to still seemed very upbeat and positive, though. Even if publishers seem to be reducing the number of books they publish, they are still buying rights and making deals—just being a little more selective about them.

On Tuesday there seemed to be more traffic, although the floor still didn’t seem as crowded as in previous fairs. Most publishers have only “skeleton crews” (one major editor/president to represent all. No one from Scholastic USA was there, for instance, just from the UK). But, still, the atmosphere is positive and deals are still being made (Asia seems to be buying a lot). I think, in spite of the economy’s challenges, there are opportunities out there for all kinds of books and projects.

The Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the world’s leading children’s publishing event, begins this Monday, March 23rd. Of course there are many highlights to the fair but perhaps none more prominent than the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition. This exhibition truly defines the book fair and offers an exceptional display of children’s book illustrations which have been selected by an international jury composed of publishers, artists and museum directors. “Combined with the many illustrators who visit the Fair to show their latest portfolios to publishers, the Exhibition has become the single most important source of information about contemporary illustrators and provides an international overview of the most innovative trends”.

Each year a different country is chosen as the Illustrators Exhibition’s Guest of Honour. This year’s Guest of Honor, Korea, will showcase its literature, history and tradition through the Illustrators Exhibition as well as through a wide range of cultural programs to be held in the city centre in a framework of events extending far beyond the four days of the Fair.

Reporter Chung Ah-young of The Korea Times reports:

According to the KPA, Korea’s book market ranks among the 10th largest in the world, with over 40,000 new titles published each year. Among them, children’s books make up about 19 percent of the market, which reflects not only the high enthusiasm that Korean parents have for their children’s education but also the efforts of highly imaginative and innovative bookmakers and writers.

The Guest of Honor programs will feature Korean children’s books and illustrators and the exhibition of their original paintings.

More than any other trade show, the fair is expected to play an important role in the emergence of Korean children’s books, as visitors to the Korean events will discover the fascinating roots of the stories and images found in Korean children’s books, which remain less recognizable in Europe.

Be sure to check out our new issue of PaperTigers on April 1st when we will be focusing on Korea.

Spring is in the air which means it’s time for the Bologna Children’s Book Fair – the world’s leading publishing fair covering all genres for infants, children and young adults. This year’s fair, the 46th edition, will take place at the Bologna Exhibition Centre from March 23rd to 26th and will feature: 1300 exhibitors, 20,0000 square metres, 69 countries, 55 languages and over 4,800 foreign visitors. The exhibitors will include publishers, literary agents, packagers, printers, international organizations, TV and film producers, licensor and licensees, and service companies linked to the publishing world.

Along with the the exhibition of worldwide children’s publishing and fabulous Programme of Events, highlights will include:

The Bologna Illustrators Exhibition – an exceptional display of children’s book illustrations, selected by an international jury. The 2009 Guest of Honour of the Illustrators Exhibition will be Korea, a country with strong traditions in illustration, cartoons, and design. A special exhibit entitled “Round and Round in a Circle” will showcase the literature, history and customs of Korea through illustrations.

A special “show-in-show” dedicated to Roberto Innocenti, winner of the 2008 Hans Christian Andersen Prize for Illustration.

The Illustrators’ Cafe – the ideal place to meet illustrators, authors, and publishers, discuss the latest developments, talk about everything related to illustration and attend special events. This is the place to be on March 24th when the announcement ofThe Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for Literature will be broadcast live from Vimmerby, Sweden.

BolognaRagazzi Award – one of the most coveted prizes in children’s publishing, this award is reserved for books with outstanding graphic and editorial design.

TV/Film & Licensing Centre, The Literary Agents Centre, and the World Directory of Children’s Book Translators and Translators Centre

Last year two members of our PaperTigers team, Aline and Marjorie, were thrilled to be able to attend the fair and shared their experiences on our blog. Unfortunately this year no one from the PT team will be able to attend, but we want to know everything that is happening there! So this is our shout-out to those of you that will be attending. Will you be blogging about the event, twittering or facebooking? Loading up photos, emailing? Let us know!

(Click on event name for more information)

The Art of Picture Books Exhibition~ ongoing until Mar 27, Bristol, United Kingdom

20th Annual Children’s Book Illustrator Exhibit~ ongoing until Apr 18, Hayward, CA, USA

Read Across America Day~ Mar 2, USA

Words on Wheels~ Mar 2 – 7, New Zealand

Papirolas Festival for Children and Youth~ Mar 3 – 8, Guadalajara, Mexico

World Book Day~ Mar 5, United Kingdom and Ireland

Growing Up Asian in America Art and Essay Contest~ entry deadline Mar 5, San Francisco, CA, USA

40th Annual Conference on Children’s Literature~ Mar 6 – 7, Athens, GA, USA

Asilomar Regional Reading Conference: Fired Up for Literacy~ Mar 6 – 8, Pacific Grove, CA, USA

Shanghai International Literary Festival~ Mar 6 -22, Shanghai, China

Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC)Choices Day and Charlotte Zolotow Award Event~ Mar 7, Madison, WI, USA

Man Hong Kong International Literary Festival~ Mar 8 – 18, Hong Kong

ALA’s Teen Tech Week~ Mar 8 – 14, USA

Share a Story – Shape a Future, A Blog Tour for Literacy~ Mar 9

12th Time of the Writer International Writers Festival~ Mar 9 – 14, Durban, South Africa

Rhinelander Children’s Book Fest~ Mar 10 -11, Rhinelander, WI, USA

Annual SCBWI (SA) Publishers Show & Tell Day~ Mar 11, Cape Town, South Africa

19th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair~ Mar 12 – 22, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Children’s Books in Asia, Africa and Latin America Symposium~ Mar 13, Tokyo, Japan

13th Annual Charlotte S. Huck Children’s Literature Festival~ Mar 13 – 14, Redlands, CA, USA

Salon du Livre Paris~ Mar 13 – 18, Paris, France

41st Annual Children’s Literature Festival~ Mar 15 – 17, Warrensburg, MO, USA

Exhibition of Prize Winning Works of 16th Noma Concours (2008) “Palette of Dream Colours IV”~ Mar 15 – Jul 5, Tokyo, Japan

Somerset Celebration of Literature~ Mar 16 – 20, Mudgeeraba, Australia

World Storytelling Day~ Mar 20

Harmony Day~ Mar 21, Australia

World Poetry Day~ Mar 21

Bologna Children’s Book Fair~ Mar 23 – 26, Bologna, Italy

Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Winners Announced~ Mar 24, Vimmerby, Sweden

All-Saints College Festival of Young Adult and Children’s Literature~ Mar 25 – 27, Bull Creek, Australia

7th Bangkok International Book Fair & 37th National Book Fair~ Mar 26 – Apr 6, Bangkok, Thailand

Oxford Children’s Literature and Youth Culture Colloquium Presents an International Conference: Place and Space in Children’s Literature~ Mar 27 – 28, Oxford, United Kingdom

Children’s Literature Council Spring Workshop: I Can Read It by Myself…But Do I Want To? Inspiring Emergent Readers~ Mar 28, Glendale, CA, USA

Margaret Mahy Day~ Mar 28, New Zealand

Reading the World: A Conference Celebrating Multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults~ Mar 28 – 29, San Francisco, CA, USA

Norman Lindsay Festival of Children’s Literature~ Mar 28 – 29, Faulconbridge, Australia

Childhood in its Time Conference: The Child in British Literature~ Mar 28 – 29, Canterbury, United Kingdom

Latino Book & Family Festival~ Mar 28 – 29, Chicago, IL, USA