The six new children’s books not to be missed

Back after two years, from 21 to 24 March in Bologna, the Children’s Book Fairthe most important publishing fair to the world dedicated to children And boys which, despite the festive and auspicious title, “Join the Party!”, will also take stock of the major issues at the center of the international debate. In particular, on Tuesday 22 March, at 5.45 pm, the lectio by the Israeli author is expected Etgar Keret What stories can you tell in times of war? (what stories to tell in wartime?), a meeting organized by the Conference of International Book Fairs Directors, which strongly condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and chooses the Children’s Book Fair to give voice to peace, also inviting Ukrainian publishers, authors, illustrators at no cost. A tribute to Ukrainian publishing is also expected, Ukrainian Booksan exhibition dedicated to Ukrainian children’s and young people’s books, in their editions in translation by publishers from all over the world who will be present at the fair as exhibitors.

Among the hundreds of appointments we point out the long-awaited intervention of the author Yuval Noah Harari (Wednesday 23 March, at 1.30pm), historian, philosopher and author of bestselling essays including Sapiens: From animals to gods, Homo Deus: A brief history of the future, who will present his new (and mysterious) project aimed at children published by Bompiani; there Illustrators Show, which will exhibit original illustrations by 78 artists from 29 countries and regions of the world, and appointments with the Turkish illustrator Sólin Sekkur, the illustrator chosen to interpret the key concept of the 2022 Fair; the exhibition Insight, Reflect which collects over 100 illustrations by Emirati artists (this year the guest country of honor is Sharjah, which is located a few kilometers from Dubai and which in 2019 was the world capital of UNESCO books); the brand new Comics Corner dedicated to the comics and graphic novels sector (which some have already begun to call “the ninth art”), one of the segments of the publishing sector that has shown itself to be growing rapidly in recent years; and finally the special focus on Africawith the presence of publishers, authors, illustrators and leading figures of the African publishing scene from Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Tanzania, Tunisia, Togo, Guinea, Benin and Nigeria.

Here are 6 titles to write down:

1) It was just a selfie by Cristina Obber (The Steamboat)

It is presented in Bologna, but will be released in bookstores on April 19: It was just a selfie is part of the new series, «Luna», written by authors for the women of tomorrow, a project aimed at preteens in which we speak of contemporary “sentimental” stories in a broad sense, also including issues such as “Revenge porn” and the difficult relationship between sexuality, identity, feelings And social. Here we talk about Anita, the only girl on the water polo team in her town, who has just become captain and is very much in love with a training partner of hers. When he is alone with her, Ste is very sweet, but it changes as soon as he finds himself with the other males on the team. One day Anita takes a picture with other girls in front of the dressing room mirror and from that moment, apparently insignificant, everything begins to change.

2) The war that changed Città Tonda by Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv (Jaca Book, pp. 40, € 18)

There war explained to smaller through a tale original And poetic. Danko, Zirka and Fabian live peacefully in the small Round City. They have their own work which always keeps them very busy. Until the war comes. The three friends have never experienced such an experience and they just don’t know what to do. Hoping to stop the war, they first try to talk to her and then fight her: but every attempt is in vain. When all seems lost, they discover an effective way to counter the darkness of this terrible enemy: the power of light. With the help of all the inhabitants of the city, they build a huge one light machine that dispels the darkness and stops the war. This book was the winner of the “New Horizons” award at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2015 and the Italian one is the first world translation from the Ukrainian original. The authors, who are a couple in work and in life, are originally from Lviv.

3) The good way by Alice Rohrwacher and Lida Ziruffo (Mondadori, pages 40, € 17)