The SCBWI Bologna Showcase at The 2012 Bologna Children's Book Fair

Sara Rutenberg, SCBWI's Chief Operating Officer and National Conference Coordinator reports from the Bologna Children's Book Fair that they're "very busy at the SCBWI booth."

(That's in Hall 26, Stand A66.)

Sara shared that

"Illustrator Babette Cole was there today, and others stopped by.  The International Regional Advisors have done an extraordinary job organizing this.  Bruce Degen and Paul O. Zelinsky are dueling illustrators on Wednesday, each one using their own particular style to illustrate text."

The most important international event dedicated to the children's publishing and multimedia industry, this year's Bologna Children's Book Fair runs from yesterday, March 19th through Thursday, March 22nd, 2012.

SCBWI will be presenting members and regions from around the world. Free individualized portfolio reviews, first page reviews and industry consultations will be available as well.

You can find out more about the offerings and see the daily schedules here at the SCBWI Bologna website.

There's also a wonderful series of interviews with the people of the SCBWI Bologna Showcase at Cynthia Leitich Smith's remarkable Cynsations blog.  So far there have been interviews with

Caldecott Medal Winner (and three time Caldecott Honoree) Author-Illustrator Paul O. Zelinsky

2011 Sendak fellowship-winning Author-Illustrator Sergio Ruzzier

Children's Book Marketing Consultant Susan Raab

Former Art Director and now Author-Illustrator Bob Barner

Author-Illustrator Bruce Degen

and Sara Rutenberg (SCBWI's COO)

And there are more interviews slated to come - among them John Shelley, Serena Gedes, Sarah Towle, Erzsi Deak, Barbara McClintock and Chris Cheng!  (The interviews are coordinated by Angela Cerrito and the interviewers are active members on the international scene.)

So even if you're not in Italy, check out these great one-on-one discussions with kid lit luminaries and thought leaders...

And if you ARE at Bologna, swing by Hall 26, Stand A66 and say "Hi" to your fellow SCBWI tribe members!


Illustrate and Write On,
Lee


ps -  Be sure to check out the SCBWI Bologna Scrawl Crawl Blog - it's a crowd-sourced documentation of creativity and inspiration that's open to SCBWI members at the fair... and even those of us not in Bologna can contribute, as "Roving Scrawl Crawlers!"