We Brought a Tree to Bologna – and Publishers Smiled
A Tree Full of Wishes
Every guest who stopped by our stand left with a small gift – a wish card, handpicked from the tree. Each card carried a short poem featuring one of our beloved wild characters. The giraffe, for instance, had this to say:
The giraffe has a special power—
when he's worried, he stands up taller.
And from way up high, he sees,
his troubles shrink with so much ease!
Publishers from Brazil, Mexico, Iceland, Zimbabwe – and many more – reached up, chose their card, read it, and smiled. Some read them out loud. Some took photos. A few asked if they could take extras for their colleagues.
That's the thing about Little Wild Wisdoms – they don't need much explaining. The warmth is immediate.
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Smart, Playful – and Very Sellable
Of course, Bologna is also business. And while the tree drew people in, what kept them was the depth of our catalogue.
Publishers who lingered discovered our Educational Cards – thoughtfully designed, curriculum-aligned, and built for real classroom and home use. The kind of product that doesn't just look good on a shelf, but genuinely works.
Others couldn't resist Lilly the Chick. There's something about Lilly that makes adults laugh just as much as children – and in a room full of book professionals, that's a very good sign.
The Idea That Always Stops People
And then there was Book in a Box.
Every year, without fail, this one earns a second look. A theatre. In a box. With finger puppets. The concept is so clean, so clever, that publishers immediately start thinking about their own markets – would this work in Brazil? In Iceland? (Spoiler: yes, it would.)
It's the kind of product that travels well – across languages, across cultures, across age groups. And that's exactly what Bologna is for.
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Five Continents, One Conversation
What struck us most this year wasn't any single meeting – it was the range. Brazil and Mexico brought energy and curiosity about our visual language. Iceland asked sharp questions about educational methodology. Zimbabwe made us think about accessibility and universality in a whole new way.
Good children's content doesn't need a passport. And the conversations in Bologna reminded us, once again, why we do what we do.
Let's Talk
If you were at Bologna and stopped by our stand – thank you. We hope your card from the tree made you smile at least once more after you left.
And if you weren't there – well, there's always next year. Or you can simply explore our catalogue and reach out directly. We're always happy to talk.
Explore more from Clever Book:
· Little Wild Wisdoms – the series → HERE
· Educational Cards → HERE
· Lilly the Chick → HERE
· Finger Puppet Theatre – Book in a Box → HERE