The 12th Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF), set for November 14-16, 2025, at Shanghai Expo, is set to be a pivotal event in the children’s books and publishing industry. Organized in partnership with Bologna Children’s Book Fair organizers, this event enhances the Asia-Pacific region’s role in the global children’s content market.
A Landmark Event for Asia-Pacific Publishing and Content Industry
As the leading exhibition for children’s books in the Asia-Pacific region, CCBF has become a vital part of the global industry. The fair will display 20,000 children’s books from 474 publishers across 35 countries, featuring 322 professional events and attracting 4.5 million visitors.
Strategic Exhibition Layout: Enhancing Industry Impact
The fair has two areas: the Copyright Area for publishing professionals and the Integrated Area for broader industry involvement. The international exhibition zones showcase modern themes through the “Belt and Road” Publishing Zone and International Children’s Media Area, linking traditional publishing with digital platforms.
The integrated area includes specialized sections: the Educational Area with institutions like New East and EF Education; the Cultural and Creative Zone featuring brands like Morning Literature; and the IP Area showcasing properties such as Snow King and Harry Potter.
Superman and Zorolly. The Bookstore Area features Lu Morning Library, Modern Bookstore, and Shendong Library, showcasing modern reading spaces.
Building Chinese Cultural Brands with Global Influence
The Shanghai Children’s Book Fair strengthens its focus on internationalization, specialization, cross-border integration, and sustainable development.
The fair has drawn 194 international exhibitors from countries including the UAE, France, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US, South Korea, Spain, and Norway.
The fair’s prominence is highlighted by international partnerships and recognitions, including Bologna Children’s Book Fair award winners and leading publishers from the Asia-Pacific region, establishing it as a key gathering for the global publishing industry.
Elevated Reading Promotion Activities
The reading promotion program covers children’s books, family reading, education, and library development. International leaders like Gwansha Chobava and Basarat Kazim will participate in presentations and discussions.
A major development is the Global Children’s Books Platform, establishing the Shanghai Children’s Book Fair as the key launch site for international children’s books. It will feature new titles from 14 countries, including 270 notable works, debuting there. The platform highlights both Chinese and international publishers’ latest titles, demonstrating the fair’s increasing influence in global children’s publishing.
The Shanghai Editors’ International Visiting Program resumes, with representatives from various countries visiting publishing houses and taking part in industry events.
Multidimensional Cultural Programming
Shanghai Children’s Book Fair uses an innovative “Exhibition + Forum + Events + Experience” model to showcase the energy of the global children’s content industry through diverse activities and international partnerships.
The Forum and Creative Exchange hosts 18 professional conferences on industry trends and innovation, featuring renowned speakers like International Andersen Award winner Sidney Smith and MOE Picture Book Award recipient Nobusuke Yoshitake discussing topics such as children’s content development in the Asia-Pacific region.
Among them, Licensing Magazine will host a panel on Building IPs through different platforms, hosting c-level speakers from the Asian Content Industry, Breaking Boundaries, Co-Creating Value: Innovative Practices and Global Perspective in IP Operations.
- Date & Time: Saturday, November 15, 09:30–10:50
- Location: Official Conference Room A (Copyright Zone)
This session brings together leading voices from across the global creative industries to explore innovative approaches and collaborative strategies shaping the future of IP operations.
This session brings together leading voices from across the global creative industries to explore innovative approaches and collaborative strategies shaping the future of IP operations. Moderated by Cristina Angelucci (Italy), Publisher and Senior Consultant at BM SRL, the panel features distinguished speakers including Veronica Espinosa-Cabalinan (Philippines), Vice President of Disney Publishing and Digital Experiences, APAC, The Walt Disney Company; Chiu Siu Fung, Noletta (Hong Kong, China), Executive Director of Medialink Group Limited; Matthew Forsythe (Canada), author and artist; Michelle Hu (China), Senior Director of Guangzhou Art-land Holding Company Limited; Xiao Hanbing (China), General Manager of the Business Department, Shanghai Character License Administrative Co., Ltd.; and Bud Zhan (Taiwan, China), Senior Licensing Manager at Rights and Brands Asia.
Together, they will discuss how cross-border collaboration and creativity drive value creation in the evolving IP landscape. Simultaneous interpretation in Chinese and English will be provided.
A highlight is “The Illustrator’s Survival Program, jointly organized with Bologna Children’s Book Fair and Milano Illustration Academy, offering 48 events supporting emerging illustrators’ development.
Special exhibitions include the Golden Windmill International Young Illustrators Competition, which features 2,828 works from 78 countries, and the “Children’s Books Plus: Comics” exhibition showcasing 300 outstanding comics. The “New Dream” series introduces youth mental health initiatives through forums and competitions.
Shaping Shanghai’s Global Cultural Leadership
As a key industry platform, the fair enhances Shanghai’s role in the Asia-Pacific region’s publishing scene, impacting children’s literature worldwide through innovative cultural integration.
To learn more visit the website https://www.ccbookfair.com/en
