Every year, Bologna Children's Book Fair brings together the most inspiring voices in publishing and content for children… and for readers of all ages.
In this section, we introduce just a few of the incredible speakers and key figures who will take the stage at BCBF 2025.
Discover their stories, their work, and find out where to hear them live during the fair.
Olivia Ahmad is a curator, editor and writer based in London, UK. She has a BA in Illustration from Cambridge School of Art and an MA in Museum Studies from Newcastle University. Olivia trained as a curator on the UK Museums Association’s Diversify scheme and has worked in curatorial roles at Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums, Seven Stories The National Centre for Children’s Books and the Northern Design Festival. Her writing has appeared in MacGuffin, Eye and AIGA Eye on Design. Olivia is the author of 100 Figures: The Unseen Art of Quentin Blake (Tate Publishing, 2018). From 2018-2021 she was editor of the UK Association of Illustrators’ Varoom magazine.
As Curator at House of Illustration, London from 2014, Olivia led on exhibitions of historic and contemporary illustration, and established the UK’s first residency for illustrators. She is Artistic Director at Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, where she is working on a project to redevelop a heritage site in central London to create the UK’s first permanent arts space dedicated to illustration. It will open in 2026.
Olivia Ahmad will be a speaker at the event: Museums That Celebrate the Art of the Picture Book
Marit Alette Utsi works at the Sámi publishing house Davvi Girji as deputy publisher and editor. She is also chairman of the Board of Sálas - Sámi Publisher's Association, Norway, and chairman of the Board of Sámlitt—Sámi language literature abroad Association, as well as a member of the board of the Norwegian Publishers Association.
She grew up in a reindeer herding family, and she works with her family with reindeers. Her mother tongue is Northern Sami.
She debuted as an author with the children's book Geaidnostállu (The Troll of the Road) in 2021, published by Davvi Girji. Geaidnostállu is a fairytale about the troll who lives under the road and is based on her own experiences as a child. The story follows a similar structure to traditional oral storytelling, where the purpose is to get children to make independent choices and avoid dangerous situations.
Marit Alette Utsi will be a speaker at the event: Thousands of Roots, One Shared World: The Strength of Diverse Voices in Children's Books
Ani Rosa Almario, PhD is the Vice-President for Product Development of Adarna House (www.adarna.com.ph), the Philippines' oldest and largest children's book publishing firm. She is also the Founding Director of The Raya School (www.raya.edu.ph), a progressive K-12 institution that aims to develop a true sense of country in its students.
Ani Rosa Almario will be a speaker at the event
Trans-cendent: Embracing Inclusive Gender Expression Beyond Tokenism or Issue Books
Mercedes Alvarado is a writer and cultural manager. She leads the Fairs & Exhibitions activities at The Mexican Publishers Association, from where 12 national bookfairs are marketed. For over 15 years has leaded projects to disseminate Mexican literature with the aim of enable and preserve spaces that allows encounters and dialogue between readers and literature and also between intergenerational writers. She coordinates two book clubs in Mexico City, teaches creative writing workshops and contemporary poetry seminars with a focus in woman written literature. As an author, has published five books of poetry and led multidisciplinary creative projects involving animation, music and audiovisual poetry shortfilms in Mexico. Her work as creative director and scriptwriter has been part of stage performances in Mexico, Indonesia, Norway and Sweden, and has translated some poetry from Norwegian into Spanish.
Mercedes Alvarado will be a speaker at the event: From Global Reading to Local Actions: New SDG Book Club Chapters Continue to Drive Change
Carolina Ballester was born in Paris and studied in Spain and France, obtaining an MA in Political Science from the Madrid Complutense University and degrees in Chinese and Arabic from the French National Institute of Oriental Studies (INALCO). She worked as a translator and as cultural attaché at the Consulate of Spain in Shanghai. In 2013, she joined the Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair team as programme manager and for ten years she promoted and developed international interest in children’s illustration as well as served on juries for children’s illustration catalogues and contests. She also curated a range of professional programmes to foster business exchange between children’s book publishers, including a fellowship programme, conferences and seminars. Carolina joined the International Board on Books for Young people (IBBY) as Executive Director in September 2022. She brings to IBBY an interest and wide knowledge in children’s literature and illustration, as well as international experience and fluency in several languages, including French, Spanish, English and Mandarin.
Carolina Ballester will be a speaker at the event: Thousands of Roots, One Shared World: The Strength of Diverse Voices in Children's Books
Born on June 17, 1972, in Mauritius, Joëlle Betsey Maestracci holds both French and Mauritian nationalities. She has a creative background, having studied graphic design in Paris at the Académie Valette and the Paris School of Art and Architecture. Her career in publishing began as a contributor and editor at Editions Vizavi, and in 2024, she founded Editions Pielo to offer a different perspective and continue building bridges between authors and illustrators.
Joëlle is also a children's illustrator, having worked with several publishing houses and illustrated 12 books, including with Flammarion Jeunesse, Editions Orphie, Edition du Cyclone, and l'Atelier des Nomades. Her experience extends to the communications field, where she spent over 8 1/2 years perfecting her skills in offset and digital printing while working in a communications agency.
Passionate about the world of publishing, Joëlle’s career path now allows her to master the entire book production chain, from estimating project timelines to overseeing production with precision. With her knowledge of graphic language, she is able to advise and guide young illustrators on their publishing projects. Having worked with Editions Vizavi for over three years and having founded Editions Pielo, Joëlle continues to offer her readers a broader catalog, where authors and illustrators complement each other.
For more information, you can visit her websites Editions Pielo and Joëlle Illustratrice.
Joëlle Betsey Maestracci will be a speaker at the event: Thousands of Roots, One Shared World: The Strength of Diverse Voices in Children's Books
Debbie Bibo is a literary agent and editorial producer of children’s picture books and illustrated books. A native of Northern California, she moved to Milan in 1992 and worked for years in art publishing before founding Debbie Bibo Agency in 2011. The Agency represents and promotes an eclectic selection of debut and best-selling authors and illustrators from around the world. Many of the books the Agency represents have received prestigious awards and several have been published in dozens of languages. Debbie is also an editorial consultant for museum and independent publishers, and she teaches courses on picturebook making, the children’s book market, and rights and the role of agents at Mimaster, the European Institute of Design, the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan. For more information, please visit debbiebiboagency.com.
Debbie Bibo will be a speaker at the event: Timeless Tales: Preserving and Promoting the Legacy of Leo Lionni. A Talk with Annie Lionni
José Borghino has been Secretary General of the International Publishers Association, Geneva, since 2015. He joined the IPA as Policy Director in 2013, and was in charge of policy development, organizing the Prix Voltaire (IPA’s Freedom to Publish Prize), and managing the IPA’s activities in the educational publishing sector, including the annual What Works? conference and the Educational Publishers Forum. Before joining the IPA, José was Manager, Industry Representation at the Australian Publishers Association. He has been Executive Director of the Australian Society of Authors, a lecturer in literary journalism and creative industries at the University of Sydney, and editor of the online news magazine NewMatilda.com. José held senior positions at the Literature Board of the Australia Council and was the founding editor of EDITIONSReview.
José Borghino will be a speaker at the event: From Global Reading to Local Actions: New SDG Book Club Chapters Continue to Drive Change
Francesca Cavallo is the co-author of the New York Times bestselling Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls series, which sold over 8 million copies worldwide and was translated into 49 languages. An award-winning indie author and podcaster, Cavallo has pioneered crowdfunding and self-publishing techniques that have been studied internationally. In 2020, she published and released the picture book Doctor Li and the Crown-wearing Virus for free, which was translated into 38 languages and became the most-read children's book during the coronavirus pandemic, and it was praised to help fight the surge of anti-Asian racism. Cavallo's latest book is the first anthology of original fairytales reframing masculinity, and it's called Stellar Stories for Boys of the Future. The book is already out in 4 languages and it will be published in 5 more by the end of the year.
Cavallo is a public speaker and an UN consultant, advocating for gender equality and minorities' rights. She spoke at the Massachusetts Conference for Women in Boston, the Cusp Conference in Chicago, the Women in Tech Conference in Warsaw, the Feminno Conference in Yerevan, the Novatore Summit in Riga, the State of Europe Conference in Brussels, and many more. You can find her on Substack: https://boysofthefuture.substack.com/
Francesca Cavallo will be a speaker at the event: Where the Boys Are: The Right Books Can Make Them Heroes
Mary Glenn is Chief of UN Publications in the Department of Global Communications, and oversees the promotion of United Nations’ knowledge, communication, and outreach objectives the SDG Publisher’s Compact launched in collaboration with the International Publishers Association. She also oversees the publishing, selling, distributing, and licensing of print and electronic publications, periodicals and databases that disseminate United Nations’ knowledge, studies and data. In addition, her department manages the e-commerce site shop.un.org, and UN Bookshops in New York and Geneva, where UN Publications, books from other publishers, and UN branded products are sold — all aligned with UN values and priorities. Before joining the UN, she was Associate Publisher at McGraw-Hill, and has experience in every sector of commercial publishing from trade start-ups to major educational, scholarly and academic houses.
Mary Glenn will be a speaker at the event: Thousands of Roots, One Shared World: The Strength of Diverse Voices in Children's Books
_______ will be a speaker at the event
Chiara Gregori is an Italian gynecologist and sexologist with a passion for clear, effective, and compassionate communication. Since 1999, she has worked closely with migrant women, supporting them through pregnancy and reproductive health care, developing the awareness of the importance of shifting the focus to the patient. She is also the author of books on sex education (La Sessualità spiegata ai bambini e alle bambine di eri, oggi e domani, BeccoGiallo 2022; Per Piacere - Piccolo manuale per una sessualità consapevole, Beccogiallo 2023), with a special focus on pleasure and self-respect. Her latest book (Io sono IO, BeccoGiallo 2024) explores the necessity and urgency of building a society finally free from gender conditioning.
Chiara Gregori will be a speaker at the event: Trans-cendent: Embracing Inclusive Gender Expression Beyond Tokenism or Issue Books
At the International Publishers Association Dr. Michiel Kolman was President and he now chairs Inclusive Publishing and Literacy. At Elsevier and across the publishing industry Michiel supports thought leadership, the SDGs, promotes climate change and biodiversity, and pushes for a more diverse and inclusive world.
Michiel is Senior VP Strategic Networks and Academic Ambassador at Elsevier where he has worked for 30 years. Before Elsevier he worked for Wolters Kluwer in a division which is now part of Springer Nature.
Michiel is co-chair of the Workplace Pride Foundation Board supporting LGBTIQ+ workplace inclusion. He is the executive sponsor of Elsevier Pride and was listed three years in the Top100 ranking of most influential LGBT senior executives, most recently in 2024.
Michiel studied astronomy at Leiden University and holds a PhD from Columbia University in New York where he studied as Fulbright scholar. Michiel and his husband live in Amsterdam.
Michiel Kolman will be a speaker at the event: Where the Boys Are: The Right Books Can Make Them Heroes
Kristina Kramer is Deputy Director for European and International Affairs at the German Booksellers and Publishers Association (Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels). She joined Börsenverein’s team for the organisation of the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade in 2010. From 2012 on, she has been focussing her work on public affairs at the asscociation’s Berlin Office. She is member of the Inclusive Publishing and Literacy (IPL) Committee within IPA and set up the German SDG Club with her colleagues at Börsenverein.
Kristina Kramer will be a speaker at the event: From Global Reading to Local Actions: New SDG Book Club Chapters Continue to Drive Change
Annie Lionni will be a speaker at the event
Leonard S. Marcus is one of the world’s leading writers about children’s books and the people who create them. He is the author of more than 25 critically acclaimed books including Margaret Wise Brown: Awakened by the Moon; Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom; Randolph Caldecott: The Man Who Could Not Stop Drawing; Maurice Sendak: A Celebration of the Artist and His Life; You Can't Say That!: Writers for Young People Talk about Censorship; Pictured Worlds; and for young readers Earthrise: The Story of the Photograph That Changed the Way We See Our Planet.
Leonard is a regular contributor to the New York Times Book Review, and is a frequent commentator on radio, television, and blogs. A founding trustee of the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, he has curated more than 25 exhibitions at museums and libraries across the US including the landmark exhibitions The ABC of It: Why Children's Books Matter at the New York Public Library (2013-14), and the National Building Museum's current, semi-permanent Building Stories.
He has been an adviser to the National Book Foundation, American Writers Museum, Museum of the City of New York, Norwegian and Swedish Consulates, White House Historical Association, US Postal Service, and PBS American Masters.
Leonard was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the Bank Street College of Education in 2007 and is the only American to have received China's Chen Bochui Award for special contributions to the development of Chinese children's literature. Major lectures include the Pforzheimer Lecture (NY Public Library), Betsy Beinecke Shirley Lecture (Yale); Charlotte Zolotow Lecture (University of Wisconsin); Sybille Panazzi Memorial Lecture (Toronto Public Library); the Library of Congress and the national libraries of France, China, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand; Università Cattolica (Milan); and the Bologna Children's Book Fair.
Leonard's literary archive is in the collection of the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale. Born in Mount Vernon, New York and educated at Yale and the University of Iowa Writers Workshop in Poetry, Leonard lives in Brooklyn, NY and speaks about his work across the world.
Leonard S. Marcus will be a speaker at the event: Museums That Celebrate the Art of the Picture Book
Kiyoko graduated from the Joshibi University of Art and Design, majoring in Art History and later with a Master Degree from Chiba University on the History of Art Education in Japan. From 1986, she is a curator at the Itabashi Art Museum. In 1989, she became responsible for the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition in Japan and has collaborated with BCBF ever since. Kiyoko curated several exhibitions on picture book artists, such as Leo Lionni, Dick Bruna, Bruno Munari and Tara Books. She has organised various events and workshops for young artists in the creation of picture books. In recent years, she has been involved in inclusive activities through ‘Tactile picture books’.
Currently director of the Itabashi Art Museum, she is an important driving force behind Itabashi's Picture Book Town policy. She has juried many shows such as the BIB exhibtion and the Bologna Illustrators Exhibtion. She was an EC member of IBBY from 2010 to 2014 and is a board member of JBBY, the Japanese section of IBBY.
Kiyoko Matsuoka will be a speaker at the event: Museums That Celebrate the Art of the Picture Book
Born in Belém, in the northern state of Pará, in 1964, Munduruku holds a degree in Philosophy and a PhD in Education from the University of São Paulo (USP), and is hailed as one of the greatest champions of indigenous culture. Most of his extensive work is aimed at children and teenagers. In 2017, he won a Jabuti—Brazil’s most traditional literary award—in the Young People’s category for his book Vozes Ancestrais (Ancestral Voices). In 2004, he had received an honorable mention in the same award for the children’s version of his Coisas de Índio (Indian Things). “My writing is a form of weeping, aimed at sensitizing adults” he declared.
Daniel Mundurukuwill be a speaker at the event: Thousands of Roots, One Shared World: The Strength of Diverse Voices in Children's Books
Marie-Aude Murail, born in Le Havre in 1954, is one of the most important French authors of children’s and young adult literature. She grew up in a family of artists, nurturing a passion for writing and literature. She began writing at the age of thirteen and has since published more than ninety books, earning numerous international awards and accolades. In 2022, she was honored with the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award.
Marie-Aude Murail will be a speaker at the event: Trans-cendent: Embracing Inclusive Gender Expression Beyond Tokenism or Issue Books
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Mohamed Touirs, better known as Ed Oner, is a Moroccan illustrator and street artist who grew up in Berrechid, where his passion for drawing started at a young age. After studying graphic design and applied arts, he discovered graffiti and quickly made the streets his canvas.
Over the years, Ed Oner has developed a style that blends bold lines, vivid colors, and a strong connection to Moroccan culture and daily life. His work often draws from childhood memories, traditions, and moments that resonate with people in a simple yet powerful way.
As a street artist, he has painted walls across North Africa and Europe, and as an illustrator, he brings the same energy and storytelling into his digital and print work. One of his signature elements is the use of the postage stamp motif, a visual tribute to his roots and the people who inspire him.
Whether on a massive wall or in a small illustration, Ed Oner’s work is about sharing stories, celebrating identity, and making art that feels close to home.
Ed Oner will be a speaker at the event: Thousands of Roots, One Shared World: The Strength of Diverse Voices in Children's Books
She currently serves as a Statutory Director at the Brazilian Book Chamber (CBL), where she plays a crucial role in promoting Brazilian literature abroad and supporting initiatives that strengthen the national book market. Additionally, Karine is a Board Member of the Dorina Nowill Foundation for the Blind, a Brazilian non-profit organization dedicated to expanding access to books and reading for visually impaired individuals through inclusive publishing and innovative accessibility projects. Previously, Karine was President of the International Publishers Association (IPA), where she led global efforts to champion freedom to publish, literacy, accessibility, and sustainability in the publishing sector. Her tenure at IPA was marked by impactful initiatives that advanced the interests of publishers worldwide and reinforced the industry's commitment to diversity and inclusion. Passionate about the transformative power of books, Karine continues to drive innovation and inclusivity in publishing, ensuring that literature remains a powerful tool for education and cultural exchange across the globe.
Neal Porter has been in and around children’s book publishing for close to 50 years, working at houses such as Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Walker Books UK, and Roaring Brook Press, which he helped to found in 2000. He recently stepped into the role of Publisher Emeritus at Neal Porter Books at Holiday House, having previously served as Vice President and Publisher. Books he has edited have received many awards and citations including two Caldecott Medals, two Sibert Medals, and numerous Newbery, Caldecott, Geisel and Sibert Honors as well as Coretta Scott King, Pura Belpré and Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards. In 2015 he was awarded an Eric Carle Honor for his contributions to picture books. Last year Sydney Smith, an author and artist he has worked with extensively, received the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the most prestigious international award given to authors and illustrators of children’s books.
Neal Porter will be a speaker at the event: The Secret Life of the Picture Book: A Conversation with Neal Porter
Elisa Ramírez Castañeda was born in Mexico City in 1947. She is a poet, sociologist, translator and field researcher.
Between 1972 and 1979 she was founder and president of the Board of Trustees ofCasa de la Culture del Istmo in Juchitán, Oaxaca. There he actively collaborated in the formation of collections, exhibitions, courses, workshops, research and dissemination activities.
Between 1980 and 1984 she was coordinator of the Indigenous Oral Tradition editorial project of the Board of Indigenous Education and the Directorate of Publications of the Ministry of Public Education.
Between 1989 and 1994 she was coordinator of the poetry and bilingual collections of Ediciones Toledo. She was a scholarship recipient from the Trust for Culture of the Bancomer Cultural Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and FONCA for translation in 1993.
Between 1996 and 2000 she served as coordinator of the Catalog Raisonné project of Francisco Toledo with the INBA.
She has published the works of poetry Palabras, ¿Quieres que te lo cuente otra vez?, Una pasión me domina, and También en San Juan hace aire.
Her work as a researcher and sociologist has also been manifested in other publications such as the Anthology of ancient, colonial and contemporary indigenous texts referring to iguanas, El fin de los montioc, Oral tradition of the Huaves of San Mateo, Indigenous education in Mexico, and Forty days that moved the Isthmus. the chegomist revolutionary movement. in Juchitán, 1911 among others.
Between 1984 and 2000 she worked at Tiempo de Niños, Cultura Infantil and Alas y Raíces of the National Council for Culture and the Arts as an advisor for the children's activities program and author in the newspaper Tiempo de Niños.
He has written and collaborated on countless children's and youth books in which he works with indigenous oral tradition, among which the collection Makers of Words published by the National Council for Educational Development (CONAFE) stands out.
She has been was a Jury member of the Netzahualcóyotl Prize for Writers in Indigenous Languages.in three occasions and for Latin American Indian Literatures Prize, and other national prices for children’s books.
Elisa Ramírez Castañeda will be a speaker at the event: Thousands of Roots, One Shared World: The Strength of Diverse Voices in Children's Books
Maria Russo is Editor-at-Large at Union Square Kids, a division of Union Square & Co., where she acquires and edits picture books. Previously she was Editorial Director of Minerva, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers. She also served for several years as Children's Books Editor for the New York Times, and she is the co-author of How to Raise a Reader (Workman, 2019).
Maria Russo will be a speaker at the events: The Secret Life of the Picture Book: A Conversation with Neal Porter and Where the Boys Are: The Right Books Can Make Them Heroes
Lawrence Schimel (New York, 1971) is an award-winning, full-time author, writing in both Spanish and English, based in Madrid, Spain, who has published over 130 books in a wide range of genres, for both children and adults. His writings have been translated into over sixty languages, including Filipino, Korean, Japanese, Maltese, Farsi, Kurdish, Basque, Luxembourgish, Changana, and Xhosa. His picture books have won a Crystal Kite Award from SCBWI (twice), a White Raven from the International Youth Library in Munich, and have been chosen by IBBY for Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities (three times), among other honors. In addition to his own writing, he is a prolific literary translator, primarily into English and into Spanish, who has published over 190 books. He is the former Editorial Director of children's publisher Ediciones NorteSur, and is the founder and publisher of poetry press A Midsummer Night's Press. He also founded the Spain chapter of the Society of Children's Books Writers & Illustrators and served as Regional Advisor during five years.
Lawrence Schimel will be a speaker at the event: Trans-cendent: Embracing Inclusive Gender Expression Beyond Tokenism or Issue Books
Jonathan Simcosky is an acquiring editor for Quarry Books and Rockport Publishers, imprints of The Quarto Group. He develops illustrated reference books in collaboration with internationally recognized makers and creators specializing in graphic design, creative lifestyle and kids’ activities. His acquisitions include titles on subjects as diverse as New World Sourdough, Universal Methods of Ethical Design and Anti-Racist Art Activities for Kids. He lives in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco, California.
Jonathan Simcosky will be a speaker at the event: Where the Boys Are: The Right Books Can Make Them Heroes
Edward van de Vendel (1964) writes books for children and young adults. His work includes poetry, song lyrics, fiction, picture books and non-fiction. His work was awarded with the Theo Thijssenprijs (State award, 2024), he was on the shortlist of the Hans Christian Andersen Award (2024) and got a nomination for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (5x). He was a teacher in elementary schools before he became a fulltime writer in 2001. His books are mostly published at Querido’s publishing house (Amsterdam). He is also the publisher of his own publishing house: Blauw Gras.
Edward van de Vendel will be a speaker at the event: Trans-cendent: Embracing Inclusive Gender Expression Beyond Tokenism or Issue Books
Antje Kristin Watermann manages the outreach activities for United Nations Publications and leads the SDG Book Club and SDG Publishers Compact projects. Prior to joining the UN Secretariat, she served as an advocacy officer at the UN Development Programme, focusing on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development negotiations. Earlier in her career she worked as a media product manager at the Reuters News Agency in Poland, Hong Kong and New York. She holds a Masters in Economics from the University of Cologne, Germany and a Masters in Management from ESADE, Spain.
Antje Kristin Watermann will be a speaker at the event: From Global Reading to Local Actions: New SDG Book Club Chapters Continue to Drive Change
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