Publishers
Alessandro Gelso, Piemme Junior – Battello a Vapore, Mondadori Group (Italy)
I have worked in Children’s publishing since 2000, in such companies as Disney Italy, Mondadori, Rizzoli and Il battello a Vapore, where I currently am editor-in chief.
I also hold workshops in schools about “How to make a book” and teach editing at the Children’s Publishing Master held by the Cattolica University in Milan.
I like travelling, basketball, playing the bass guitar and, above all, reading books to and with my children.
Elodie Bourgeois, Editorial Juventud (Spain)
Born in Barcelona in 1976, I grew up in a trilingual environment (Spanish, French, Catalan) and studied at the Lycée Français de Barcelone before continuing my education in Paris, earning degrees in Hispanic Philology and Modern French Letters. After an internship at Larousse Ediciones and work with Fragments Editions in Paris, I returned to Barcelona in 1999 to complete a Master’s in Publishing at Pompeu Fabra University. Since 2000, I have worked at Editorial Juventud, leading the children’s and youth department and publishing over 60 titles annually. I regularly attend major international book fairs and seek new talent in children’s literature. In 2017, I co-founded the ¡ALBUM! association, promoting access to books for all children and offering professional training in youth literature. I have also collaborated with IBBY Spain since 2021 and have participated in international literary events and round tables.
Laura Peh, Cinnamon Art Publishing (Singapore)
Laura Peh is a novelist and founder of Cinnamon Art Publishing (est. 2020, Singapore), an independent publisher of children’s books with B2B distribution in Asia, Europe and MENA. In tandem with a roving bookshop, Cinnamon Art Publishing specialises in underrepresented topics such as arts, culture and social issues, with a recent focus on Arabic literature. Started as a passion project during COVID-19, Laura has since dedicated her time to championing marginal voices and growing the children’s picture book industry in Singapore. Laura grew up in Singapore and Hong Kong, and was educated in Paris and London. Her other pursuits include classical music, contemporary art, skiing and trekking.
Nestoras Poulakos, Vakxikon Publications (Greece)
Nestoras Poulakos is a publisher & co-founder of Vakxikon Publications in Greece. Vakxikon Publications is one of the largest literature publishing houses in the country. Their annual publishing program includes more than 100 Greek and translated books of prose, poetry, essays and children’s books. Nestoras Poulakos has been the general secretary of the Association of Book Publishers (2016-2019). He’s a member of the Disciplinary Board of PEN Greece. He’s a member of International Alliance of Independent Publishers. In 2019 he was a Fellow of the Federation of European Publishers, and in 2024 a Fellow of the Frankfurt Book Fair.
Ramona Miza, Nomina Group Expert (Romania)
Romanian children’s books writer and translator, Rights Manager and member of the Romanian Literary Translators’ Association (ARTLIT). Part of Ramona’s activity consists of reading her stories to young readers in schools and preschools. Additionally, she developed a storytelling project that helps teachers make books more interesting for children, by using voice acting. Ramona dreams about “making fairytales cool again” and for that reason, she always writes stories with a motto and fantastic creatures, such as fairies, elves and dragons.
Zen Petan, KUD Sodobnost Interntaional (Slovenia)
Zen Petan, born in 1973 in Ljubljana, graduated in Slovene Language and Comparative Literature from the Faculty of Arts at Ljubljana University. Between 2004 and 2020, she lived in London, where she worked at W & G Foyle Ltd bookshop and was contributing to Slovenian newspaper Delo as a freelance journalist. In 2020, she joined the team at KUD Sodobnost International, where she has held various positions. She took on the role of Foreign Rights Agent in January 2025. She devides her time between Slovenia, Croatia, and London.
Agents and Scouts
Benas Berantas, Book Smugglers Agency (Lithuania)
Benas Berantas is a Vilnius-based children’s author, independent rights agent, and publishing professional with over 12 years of experience. After graduating cum laude in Publishing from Vilnius University, he worked for five years as an acquiring editor at a leading Lithuanian children’s publisher. In 2017, he founded the Book Smugglers Agency to represent Lithuanian authors and illustrators internationally. Since then, he has sold rights in over 35 languages, significantly boosting the global presence of Lithuanian children’s books. In 2024, he received the Vincas Auryla Award from IBBY Lithuania and was previously shortlisted for the 2022 Sharjah Rights Connection Award. Benas regularly attends major book fairs and has spoken at events in Frankfurt, Bologna, Guadalajara, Taipei, and more. As an author, he has published 10 children’s books, translated into 15 languages, with one selected for the prestigious White Ravens List.
Karolina Jaszecka, KaBooks (Poland/Spain)
Karolina Jaszecka is a literary scout, translator, and agent originally from Poland, now based in Barcelona. With extensive experience in the global publishing industry, she has translated over 150 books and worked at the Antonia Kerrigan Literary Agency and as foreign rights manager at Planeta Group. In 2016, she founded KaBooks, a boutique agency promoting high-quality Polish children’s illustrated books and representing selected Polish authors, illustrators, and, since 2024, comics creators. Karolina collaborates with top Polish publishers known for their exceptional texts, illustrations, and book production. She is a regular presence at major international book fairs—including Bologna, Frankfurt, London, Seoul, and Guadalajara—and has spoken at numerous publishing events, such as Bologna Book Plus, Taipei Publishing Forum, and the Liber Book Fair. She also mentors students in the Master of Publishing programme at PFU in Barcelona.