The fifth annual China Children's Book Expo kicked off this week at the Cultural Palace of Nationalities in Beijing. 

The week-long event aims to introduce world classics to young Chinese readers and recommends Chinese classics to foreign publishers.

Publishers are displaying their best sellers and taking part in new trends at the expo. From fairy tales to history, and from traditional Chinese literature to the latest Caldecott Medal winner.

"We expect to see direct feedback from the readers here," said CITIC Kids Editor Xie Yuanyuan.

"For example, many parents come for function-oriented picture books, which could tell their kids how to be brave or go to bed early. And, we'd include these demands into our future plans," added Xie. 

Adding more flavor to their reading experience, publishers have been trying a new approach every year. This time, some of them interpret the content of the books into various interactive activities. 

"The physical and psychological involvement into the activity enables the participants to experience the scenes in the books, and become immersed. They have a better understanding of the books. That's the concept we'd like to promote." said Sun & Children’s Book Chief Editor Zhang Hanping.

Getting to know different types of books and learning to make choices for themselves, some say, is one of the important aspects of such book fairs. 

"I think for kids, the question of what to read is even more important than reading or not," said Hans Christian Andersen Award winner Cao Wenxuan. "Smart readers will choose classics, including those that have been passed down through generations, and those that will be."

The 2019 China Children's Book Expo runs through July 23 at the Cultural Palace of Nationalities in Beijing.