<p>A few MS in Publishing students were volunteers at this year's Bologna Children's Book Fair! Find out about each of their experiences below.</p>

<p>If you can imagine, this trip was bound to be amazing simply because it was an opportunity to be in Italy, but the Bologna Children’s Book Fair truly defied all expectations! Not only were we able to learn and experience all aspects of the fair because we were in charge of helping guests find stands and meeting locations, but also we were able to attend panels, lectures, and events. Personally, one of my favorite moments was being able to attend a few subrights meetings with one of my supervisors at ABRAMS Books. She allowed me to present samples of our titles and even answer questions about our lists to multiple foreign publishers and subagents, some new and a couple she has known for years! And every night, I was able to finish off the day by having loads of bread and pasta with my amazing classmates and the new friends we made along the way!&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Bologna Children’s Book Fair was truly the opportunity of a lifetime. The closest experience I had ever had to BCBF was a comic-con in New Orleans – while the context was different, the sheer joy and amazement I felt came from the same place. I genuinely learned so much over the course of just three days: From academic panels to illustrator showcases to chatting with different guests, BCBF was such an educationally immersive experience from start to finish. I never could have anticipated meeting so many wonderful people in such a short amount of time. I remember tears pooling in my eyes when a Canadian publisher pointed me to an Acadian-French book written by a Louisiana author. With Cajun French, my grandparent’s native language, being so endangered, I never thought I would have the opportunity to learn anything close to it, nevertheless from the pen of an author raised a few towns over from where I grew up. If you would have told me I would have left Italy feeling closer than ever to my Cajun roots, there’s no way I would have believed you, but life works in funny ways, and now Mal by Chase Cormier sits on my favorite spot on my bookshelf.</p>

<p>The BCBF was such a whirlwind experience! As someone who entered the NYU publishing program knowing I wanted to pursue a career in children’s publishing, I felt especially honored to have been selected to attend. While in Bologna, I had the opportunity to work independently from my classmates as a member of the social media team covering the Trade and Licensing division of the fair. Much of my time was spent capturing content from licensing meetings and expert-led discussion panels that could later be repurposed across their social platforms throughout the upcoming year—creating a truly immersive and engaging atmosphere from start to finish. This trip aligned so closely with both my interests and passions, and it was an incredibly insightful experience that I’ll carry with me as I begin my career in the industry. Also, pro tip: turns out that hazelnut gelato is actually the cure to jet lag…who knew?</p>

<p>What a lightning in a bottle experience! This was my first time flying internationally, so I was initially super nervous… however, we had such a FUN group of people that my mind was immediately at ease. It was absolutely breathtaking to see publishers with vibrant, beautifully crafted stands from all over the world gather in one convention center to chat and sell rights. It was inspiring to see what formats and storylines resonated with children around the globe and how they’re united by their love for central characters like Greg Heffley from Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The Bologna Book Plus leaders were so lively and caring! We helped them direct traffic, set-up/break-down events, work parties, and be a main point of contact for industry guests. It was such a privilege to work with students from Canada to Italy itself and create international friendships! It was delightful to have some free time in the evenings so we could explore the historic architecture, eat copious amounts of pasta and gelato, and see Italian bookstores. I highly recommend this trip to future students. I will NEVER forget this experience and am so grateful to all involved!</p>