• The Ultimate Trade Show Concierge Service

    We Free You Up to Do Business

  • We're Here to Help You Shine

    Let Us Handle the Book Fair Details

  • Thirty Years of Book Fair Experience

    Relax and Concentrate on Your Book Fair Goals

  • All You Have to Do Is Show Up

    We Handle the Rest

About Us

Trade shows are tough on their own, but when you factor in overseas flights, language difficulties, six to twelve hour time differences, and the intricacies of maneuvering your way around an unfamiliar European or Asian city, even the most steeled business traveler might suffer a bout of travel anxiety. Don’t fret. For over fifty years, Children’s Books USA has specialized in one thing: helping children’s book publishers with pesky trade show details at the Bologna Book Fair.

CBUSA is managed by Victoria and Matt Sutherland—each with more than thirty years of trade show and event planning experience. In addition, they are book publishing veterans, with know-how and connections earned through their ownership of Foreword Reviews. CBUSA has a long list of clients which includes National Geographic, Peachtree Publishers, Charlesbridge Publishing, Magination Press/ American Psychological Association, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers, Holiday House, and many more.

Let us handle your space reservations, shipping arrangements, customs, onsite logistics, setup, and hospitality, so that you can concentrate on more important business.

Bologna Children's Book Fair in April 2024

The best foreign rights exposure for children's books publishers. Nearly 25,000 international professional trade reps and agents from 100+ countries scout for gems and do deals in several halls. In Bolognese book-speak, children's books means picture books, juvenile, middle reader, and young adult fiction and nonfiction and the show floors of the Bologna Fiere are awash with some of the most astounding art and artists anywhere.

All inclusive service and professional management for a fixed fee

We handle space reservation, catalog and co-exhibit fees, furniture rental, shipping, customs clearance, duties / taxes, cartage, signage, stand setup, hospitality room, internet access, and teardown.

When you arrive, your books and materials will be displayed on shelves next to a table and chairs you’ll use for appointments.

Space to fit your needs. Choose from:

  • Meeting space complete with 2 display panels, personalized signage, (8) bookshelves, a table, chairs, and file cabinet, entry badges and catalog listing $5552
  • Display panel (1) with signage, (4) bookshelves, entry badges and catalog listing, $2888
  • Private booths~Market Value ++

Official Fair Directory

Your firm, staff, product categories, and specialties are listed in the official online book fair directory.

Professional Management

Our staff directs customers to your display, takes messages, answers questions, oversees your display when you step away, can help with restaurant recommendations and insider tourist info, and even forwards inquiries and requests to you, in the event that you can't attend the fair.

  • The easiest firm to do business with that we encounter.

    Publisher

  • As ever, thanks for taking such good care of everything in Bologna.

    Editor in Chief

  • Thanks for your superb expertise in Bologna.

    Marketing Director

  • The first large-scale international event I’ve seen unfold from square one and it went very smoothly.

    International Sales Manager

  • Thanks for making our exhibit experience in Bologna such a positive one.

    Chief Executive

  • We appreciate all the services you provide for the fair and look forward to working with you again.

    Editor in Chief

Our Clients

Some of our clients have been with us for more than 15 years! Here is a roster of publishers from the past few years:

  • American Psychological Association
  • Andrews McMeel Publishing
  • Boyds Mills Press
  • Carl Sams II Photography
  • Carus Corporation
  • Charlesbridge Publishing
  • Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency
  • Chooseco Cinco
  • Puntos Press
  • Clarion Books
  • Cricket Magazine Group
  • DC Comics
  • Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
  • Feiwel & Friends
  • Front Street Books
  • Getty Publications
  • Giddy Up
  • Gryphon House
  • Henry Holt
  • Highlights for Children
  • Holiday House Inc.
  • Holtzbrinck Publishers
  • Houghton Mifflin Company
  • Little Pickle Press
  • London Town Press
  • Lookybook, Inc.
  • Magination Press
  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • National Geographic Society
  • Peachtree Publishers
  • Phoenix Color
  • Publishers Weekly
  • Roaring Brook Press
  • Stenhouse Publishers
  • Sterling Lord Literistic
  • Thomson Gale
  • Tricycle Press
  • Tyndale House

Contact Us

For more information, fees, dates, and deadlines, please contact Victoria Sutherland at info@childrensbooksusa.com.