This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, and for the first time, BolognaFiere and the Italian Publishers Association will award the BOP – the Bologna Prize for the Best Children’s Publishers of the Year.

The award will highlight creative editorial choices and innovations made during the previous year. Winners will be chosen by the publishing houses participating in the fair, from a list assembled by publishers’ associations and cultural institutions representing publishers worldwide. Six awards will be given – one each for Africa, Asia, Central and South America, North American, Europe, and Oceana – and will be announced at a March 26 ceremony at the fair, which runs March 25–March 28.