Estonia Guest of Honour Country

Opening Ceremony of BCBF, BBPLUS, BLTF/Kids, Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

Illustrators Café

Services Centre

THE ILLUSTRATORS CAFÉ

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

ENG

Boys will be Boys?

The Content Café

HALL 30

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

THE CONTENT CAFÉ

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

Are there differences in writing for boys or girls? Do boys read less? What must stories be like to attract young male readers?

Moderator

Stefan Boonen, writer

Panel

Ilmar Tomusk, writer; Anti Saar, writer; Charalambos Demetriou, reading promoter, teacher, IBBY Member of the Board in Cyprus.

Organized by

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

In cooperation with

IBBY Estonia

ENG

John the skeleton: an international national treasure

Translators Café

HALL 30

THE TRANSLATORS CAFÉ

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

What are the difficulties in translating from a language spoken by relatively few people? What is the X-factor that a book must have to be noticed?

Moderator

Stephanie Barrouillet – Foreign Rights Agent S.B. Rights Agency (Israel)

Panel

Alīse Nīgale, Publisher from Liels uns mazs (Latvia); Federico Appel, editor from Sinnos (Italy); Triinu Laan, writer (Estonia); Adéla Procházková, publisher from Cesta Domu (Czech Republic); Jennifer Alise Drew, publisher from Restless Books (USA).

Organized by

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

ENG

Opening of the Estonian Illustration Exhibition “Hello! Tere!”

Estonian GoH Area

Services Centre

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

Organized by

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

In cooperation with

IBBY Estonia

ENG

Masterclass - Thinking Outside the Book

The Illustrators Survival Corner - Masterclass Area

HALL 30

THE ILLUSTRATORS SURVIVAL CORNER

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

What are the possibilities for creative activities with children using your professional skills and your own books? Explore the perspectives of a writer, illustrator and publisher.

Panel

Kätlin Vainola, writer and Chief Editor of Children´s Magazine Hea Laps; Kertu Sillaste, illustrator and teacher of illustration; Ida Antonella Passarelli, Editorial Director, Sinnos.

Organized by

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

In cooperation with

IBBY Estonia

ENG

The Roadmap to Readers: Guiding Authors and Books to Children

Illustrators Café

Services Centre

THE ILLUSTRATORS CAFÉ

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

What are the working principles and funding models of various organizations that promote children's literature, writers as well as illustrators?

Moderator

Tuulike Kivestu, illustrator, journalist

Panel

Triin Soone, Director, Estonian Children's Literature Centre; Dr. Katja Wiebe, editor for Eastern European Children's and Youth Literature; Justinas Vancevičius, Head of Literature Promotion Program "Vaikų žemė (Children's World)", Founder of Creator Island.

Organized by

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

In cooperation with

IBBY Estonia

ENG

Children´s Magazines: Unique Springboard

Illustrators Café

Services Centre

THE ILLUSTRATORS CAFÉ

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

Children’s magazines as a unique stepping stone for aspiring writers and artists. They are a child’s first reading material and an introduction to the works of various authors.

Moderator

Kairi Look, writer

Panel

Llona Martson, Chief Editor, Täheke; Muriel Rathje, Chief Editor, Gecko; Petra Novikova, Communication Manager, Raketa.

Organized by

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

In cooperation with

IBBY Estonia

ENG

Whose Fault Is This?

Illustrators Café

Services Centre

THE ILLUSTRATORS CAFÉ

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

Exploring the background of cooperation between an Estonian illustrator and a world-famous writer.

Moderator

Tuulike Kivestu, illustrator, journalist

Panel

Regina Lukk Toompere, illustrator; Davide Calì, writer; Valentina Mai, publisher, Kite Edizioni; Takako Totsuka-Mizuno, Green Seed Book.

Organized by

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

In cooperation with

IBBY Estonia

ENG

Estonian Illustration Says “Hello! Tere!”: Short Introduction of the Exhibition

Estonian GoH Area

Services Centre

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

Organized by

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

In cooperation with

IBBY Estonia

ENG

Reading in the Digital Age: How can we Inspire the Next Generation?

The Next Chapter Café

HALL 29

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

THE NEXT CHAPTER CAFÉ

In a world where screens command our attention, how can we make books and reading appealing to today’s youth? This panel will explore the role of parents, educators and authors in shaping young readers’ experiences and habits.

Moderator

Inger Klesment, media literacy specialist

Panel

Janari Lage, digital literacy expert; Nathan Hull, Chief of Strategy Officer, Beat Technology; Triin Sooäär, Gen Z.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

Art residency in a small country’s border town: does the environment and collaboration with the local community influence the outcome of one’s creative work, and if so, to what extent?

Moderator

Anne Pikkov, Vice-Rector of the Estonian Academy of Arts and Executive Board Member of Cumulus

Panel

Greta Alice, illustrator, Lithuania; Lucia Carlini, illustrator, Italy; Pamela Samel, illustrator, Estonia.

Organized by

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

In cooperation with

IBBY Estonia

ENG

Meet the Author: Reeli Reinaus

Estonian Stand

HALL 30, E8-F5

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

Organized by

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

In cooperation with

IBBY Estonia

ENG

Translation Forum 1: Opportunities in Poland, Estonia and Norway

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

Publishing & Translation Trends: Opportunities in the Polish, Estonian, and Norwegian Markets. Bestseller Trends & Translation Rights: What’s Selling and What’s Next. A snapshot of literature trends in the market - what is selling well in original language. What publishers wish to sell in terms of translation rights (what's hot within each market).

Moderator

Nerrilee Weir, Director, Bold Type Agency

Panel

Agnieszka Rasińska-Bóbr, Deputy Director, Polish Book Institute; Ilvi Liive- Roosipuu, Director, Estonian Literature Centre.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

In cooperation with

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

ENG

Meet the Author: Reeli Reinaus

Estonian Stand

HALL 30, E8-F5

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

Organized by

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

In cooperation with

IBBY Estonia

ENG

The Big Book of PI

The Next Chapter Café

HALL 29

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

THE NEXT CHAPTER CAFÉ

Here, we’ll reveal the story behind the creation of The Big Book of Pi– how the collaboration unfolded with all parties from different countries.

Moderator

Alizée Dabert, Export Manager, Rights Manager, Helvetiq.

Panel

Anita Lehmann, writer; Jean Baptiste Aubin, scientist; Joonas Sildre, illustrator.

Organized by

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

In cooperation with

IBBY Estonia

ENG

Translation Forum 2: What Poland, Estonia and Norway are Buying

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

Inside the Market: What Polish, Estonian, and Norwegian Publishers Are Buying and How to Sell Translation Rights to them

Moderator

Nerrilee Weir, Director, Bold Type Agency

Panel

Anna Nowacka-Devillard, Member of the Board, Polish Chamber of Books, Co-owner of Widnokrąg Publishing House; Kadri Rahusaar, Managing editor and Member of the Board, Koolibri Publishers, Member of the Board, Estonian Publishers’ Association.

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

Organized by

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

In cooperation with

IBBY Estonia

ENG

Meet the Author: Reeli Reinaus

Estonian Stand

HALL 30, E8-F5

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

Organized by

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

In cooperation with

IBBY Estonia

ENG

Who's this? Do Mythological Creatures Have a Place in the Modern World?

The Next Chapter Café

HALL 29

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

THE NEXT CHAPTER CAFÉ

Mapping the complex network of peculiar creatures in Estonian mythology. Do they still have a place in a modern world and could they attract Young Adults readers outside their native habitats?

Moderator

Jaanika Palm, researcher, Estonian Children's Literature Centre.

Panel

Reeli Reinaus, Young Adults writer, folklorist; Marja-Liisa Plats, ALMA Award nominee, illustrator; Anna Nowacka-Devillard, publisher, Wydawnictwo Widnokrąg.

Organized by

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

In cooperation with

IBBY Estonia

ENG

Estonian Illustration Says “Hello! Tere!”: Short Introduction of the Exhibition

Estonian GoH Area

Services Centre

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

Organized by

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

In cooperation with

IBBY Estonia