On May 4, to mark the opening of the online edition of the Bologna Children's Book Fair, the organizers, in collaboration with the Italian Publishers Association (AIE) and the International Publishers Association (IPA), announced the six winners of the Bologna Prize for the Best Children’s Publishers of the Year. Winners are distinguished by their creativity and are organized by region. This is the eighth year the prizes have been awarded.
This year's winners, with citations from the fair, are as follows.
Africa: African Bureau Stories (Ghana). A new children's publishing house that produces delightful children's books by African writers and illustrators for children. From Ghana to Tanzania and to South Africa, African Bureau Stories brings contemporary stories from across the African continent.
Asia: Jieli Publishing House (China). Founded in 1990, Jieli specializes in literature for children and young adults. Jieli is committed to continuously exporting original Chinese masterpieces and introducing bestselling and classic works from various countries into the domestic market.
Europe: Camelozampa (Italy). Founded in 2011, Camelozampa aims to publish fresh and inspiring picture books and novels that help young readers in pursuing happiness, understanding diversities and becoming aware of themselves. One of its strong points is the rediscovery of international masterpieces.
North America: Les 400 coups (Canada). Celebrating 25 years of publishing, Les 400 coups is solely dedicated to children's literature by publishing eccentric picture books. Both fun and serious, Les 400 coups offers its readers an array of stunning, humorous, thought-provoking, and often even startling titles that stimulate reflection.
Central and South America: Alboroto Ediciones (Mexico). A publishing house that offers young readers quality books, often focused on social and current affairs to stimulate reflection on various topics such as dictatorship, migration, social integration and disability .
Oceania: Windy Hollow Books (Australia). Windy Hollow has been publishing high quality, literary picture books by Australian authors and illustrators for the past 14 years. The company works with established authors and illustrators but also make it its mission to find and nurture new talent.
The virtual Bologna fair began yesterday and runs through May 7. It was created after the coronavirus forced fair organizers to move the original fair dates for the live event of March 30-April 2 to this week. Fair organizers developed the virtual event when it became clear the coronavirus would make it impossible to hold an in-person fair this year.
