Focus on Africa

The intense scouting activity that BCBF carries out through its events in Bologna, and even more so through its Grand Tour of the main book fairs around the world, has long been turning its attention to emerging markets and minority publishing. After the three-year experience of Spotlight on Africa, the space through which the Bologna Children’s Book Fair promoted the participation of 100 African publishers at the fair, the BCBF’s commitment has now turned to training in the field of illustration. Supporting African talents and providing them with opportunities to emerge on the international scene in Bologna is the objective of The “Make-a-Picturebook” Project, an online illustration course created by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in collaboration with Lola Shoneyin (Author, Publisher and Director of the Book Buzz Foundation) and curated by Mimaster Illustrazione. 

Focused on picture books and the essential professional skills needed to develop a book project into a strong, market-ready proposal for publishers, the course was led by illustrator and author Francesca Chessa—whose work includes over 40 internationally published books—and spanned 35 hours. It was was aimed at 16 illustrators from Nigeria preselected by the Book Buzz Foundation through the submission of a portfolio.

The training approach was ‘hands-on’, through the development of an actual brief aimed at designing a picture book based on the story ‘Zizah is different’ by Paul Okeugo and Esther Okeugo. ‘Zizah is different’ is a story dedicated to the experiences and daily life of young Zizah, who has autism. The text delicately addresses the sensitive themes of inclusion and diversity and offers a key to access a very complex topic.

The lessons provided a comprehensive overview of the illustration profession, delving into both creative and design aspects. Through the study of color theory, editorial formats of picture books, storyboarding and text distribution, character design, and cover design, participants explored the different stages of the creative process. Significant attention was also given to personal style and artistic influences across different cultures, fostering the discovery of new authors and visual voices from diverse backgrounds. Finally, thanks to the invaluable contribution of illustrator agent Debbie Bibo, the course addressed the professional aspects of the field, equipping participants with essential tools on how to effectively present a book project to a potential publisher and understand the key dynamics of illustration agencies.

Theoretical lessons were complemented by practical work, with participants’ projects being reviewed and discussed throughout the course until the final submission. At the end of the training, the projects were evaluated, and the two best proposals were identified, taking into consideration the figurative and storytelling point of view: thus, the projects of Barbara Chiamaka Chukwu and Kayode Onimole were chosen.

This course was an amazing experience. I met talented illustrators, learned from their unique perspectives, and gained insights into the illustrator's role and responsibilities. The patient instructors guided us through every step, especially with our final project. I also discovered renowned illustrators worldwide and learned about storytelling, color use, and creating children's picture books.
Barbara Chiamaka Chukwu

It was a very enlightening experience. I learnt so much. One of the things I learnt was to not always go with your first thought. The first thought is usually the easiest solution and this usually is not exciting/surprising enough to get the child eager to flip to the next page.
Kayode Onimole

The two projects will be presented at The Illustrators Survival Corner during the fair, where the illustrator selected for publication with Tanja Books—a publishing imprint of Ouida Books (Nigeria)—will be announced. Additionally, at BCBF 2025, an exhibition will be set up showcasing part of the workshop's development and working materials, providing an overview of the students' creative process.