The Bologna Children’s Book Fair isn’t just an event — it’s where global children’s publishing decides what survives. From instinct-driven acquisitions to geopolitical tensions, here’s what really happens behind the scenes — and why, even in 2026, nothing has kept the industry away.

Before AR became a buzzword, I built interactive children’s books using webcams and printed pages. Here’s what worked, what failed—and why the market wasn’t ready.