Reading for Kids: 2019 China Children's Book Expo kicks off in Beijing

World
Europe

In China, many children have started their summer vacation, and what better way to spend this summer than traveling through the imagination. This year's China Children's Book Expo has just kicked off, right in time, at the Cultural Palace of Nationalities here in the capital. And the expo is hoping to expand children's horizon by introducing them to foreign books. Li Qiong tells us more.

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

XIE YUANYUAN, EDITOR CITIC KIDS "We expect to see direct feedback from the readers here. 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."

The feedback is immediate indeed from these children hard in concentration. Publishers' selections have made reading here more interesting and the quality is better than ever. And, there's more.

LI QIONG BEIJING "This is the fifth annual China Children's Book Expo. As it usually takes place during the country's summer vacation, a large number of young readers would pour in. To add more flavor to their reading experience, publishers have been trying new stuff every year. This time, some of them interpret the content of the books into various interactive activities."

This small workshop is presenting a scene in a book about Egyptian mysteries. It's been carried out by the publisher for years, in different places and always works well.

ZHANG HANPING, CHIEF EDITOR SUN & CHILDREN'S BOOK "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."

Fresh stimulation is becoming trendy to create better reading experiences. Visitors can also come across books that are plain looking but never fade from the market. One example is this Chinese historical series originally written by the late Lin Handa.

LIU QIAO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MARKETING CHINA CHILDREN'S PRESS & PUBLICATION GROUP "This series of historical books has been selling well for half a century. They are favored by people of all ages. Good content and language are the key to long-lasting popularity."

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

CAO WENXUAN, WRITER HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN AWARD WINNER "I think for kids, the question of what to read is even more important than reading or not. 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 23rd at the Cultural Palace of Nationalities in Beijing. LQ, CGTN.