Bologna Children’s Book Fair
The world’s largest children’s book fair, the Children’s Book Fair, opened its doors once again this year in Bologna, Italy.
Now in its 61st year, the fair brought together publishers, illustrators, graphic designers, literary agencies, authors, translators, printers, licensors and licensees, packagers, distributors, audiobook professionals, librarians and teachers, along with thousands of book lovers from the first day. Exhibitors attracted close interest, and new publishing techniques were also on display. Alongside TÜBİTAK and Turkey’s Ministry of Culture, Pregon Publishing — a Seva Holding company chaired by Oğuzhan Şahinkaya — took part from Bursa.
Seva Holding board member Dr Nurhan Şahinkaya attended the fair with Pregon Publishing executives Yalçın Koçmar and Hilary McKey Yaltırık, and shared their satisfaction at the interest they received among global publishers. She said the books displayed at the Pregon Publishing stand attracted international attention. Following meetings, they signed initial licensing agreements with two companies in Bulgaria and one in Algeria. Publishers in China, Korea and Taiwan also want to distribute Pregon Publishing’s books. Despite it being their first time at Bologna Children’s Book Fair, she said the interest and the export agreements were a major gain for Bursa and Turkey. They now want to carry this experience to the children’s book fairs in London and Frankfurt. She added that they are proud to be a first in Turkey: producing English-language educational books and exporting them worldwide.