Bologna Children’s Book Fair

On the MA Publishing programme we aim to give our students an edge so that they stand out when applying for jobs. In 2023, we took students from the programme who are interested in children’s publishing to the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. Bologna is the biggest trade fair for the children’s book industry with over 1,456 exhibitors and 28,894 trade visitors every year. However, we didn’t just visit – the students were actually part of the fair programme and gave a presentation on one of their current projects to the whole fair.

They talked about a project that with Derrick Evans, aka Mr Motivator, to bring a series of books on healthy living for primary aged children to the market. The students designed a large-scale marketing campaign using TikTok, which the publishing industry is currently working out how to utilise, and the students took it in turns to present.

The students had appointments with publishers, got to meet managing directors of the publishing houses and chat with them about their work at the fair and joining the publishing industry, and were invited to the fair’s 60th anniversary party – an opportunity to build their important publishing network.

Student testimonials

“The Bologna Children’s Book Fair is a very exclusive endeavour in the publishing industry, with many high-level individuals within publishing never getting the chance to go, so to be able to write on my CV that I’ve not only attended the Book Fair, but presented at it will definitely look impressive to future employers. Whilst there, the Book Fair allowed us each to make valuable network connections that will open the door to summer projects, internships, and even potential careers. On a personal level, the Book Fair has already greatly impacted my confidence- I can now say I’ve pitched to a room full of industry professionals, something I could have only dreamed about a few months ago. So, once again, thank you Manchester Metropolitan University! I hope you can recognise how much of a professional and personal impact this trip has had on me.”
Ciara Hanley, MA Publishing student

“This week, I had the pleasure of attending Bologna Children’s Book Fair with some of my amazing course mates. I can’t thank Debbie Williams and Manchester Metropolitan University enough for the opportunity. It was wonderful to meet and learn from professionals working in the industry, as well as being able to present at the fair! What an inspiring trip.”
Kathryn Austin, MA Publishing student

“Attending this year’s Bologna Children’s Book Fair has been an incredible experience for me as a student. I cannot express how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to be part of such an enriching event and to represent the Manchester Metropolitan University. I am excited to see where this journey takes me. I know that the knowledge and skills I have gained at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair will continue to shape me as a student and as a future professional. A huge thanks to Debbie Williams who made this opportunity happen, your aspiration to offer northern students an exclusive opportunity to immerse ourselves within the publishing industry will always be remembered. A special thanks to Neal Hoskins who offered us a platform to present our project and findings on the innovative digital world. Thank you to all who have made this experience possible and to my amazing peers, I look forward to what the future holds.”
Sarah Cartwright, MA Publishing student