First Shanghai Comic Week arrives alongside the 2026 Children's Book Fair

The Shanghai International Children's Book Fair opened its doors today at the Shanghai Exhibition Center. Until November 15, readers will be able to meet some of the most important names in children's literature and picture books. And this year it comes with a new addition: the first Shanghai Comic Week.

The fair brings together winners of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, and the Caldecott Medal. Among them is Cai Gao, the first Chinese illustrator to receive the Hans Christian Andersen Award in the illustration category. The author of Bao'er, Hua Mulan, and Fire City 1938 will take part in several activities over the three days.

Cao Wenxuan will also be there, the first Chinese author to win the Hans Christian Andersen Award in the writing category. His novels The Straw House and Bronze and Sunflower have been translated into more than forty languages.

International guests and activities for the public

The list of international guests includes Brazilian Roger Mello, the first Latin American illustrator to win the Hans Christian Andersen Award; Belgian Bart Moeyaert, winner of the Astrid Lindgren Award in 2019; and Jon Klassen, who received the same award in 2026. David Wiesner, a three-time Caldecott Medal winner, is also attending.

The activities are divided into two tracks: professional meetings for editors and creators, and events open to the public. The forum "Promoting children's reading in China and abroad: forty years of Chinese children's books in the world" takes place today, with the presentation of a report on the sector's exports.

For readers, there are book presentations, conversations with authors, and signings. Cai Gao, Cao Wenxuan, and Roger Mello will share the stage at the presentation of Anhaiduana, while David Wiesner will hold a signing for his fans in China.

Comics debut with six themed areas

Shanghai Comic Week is born as a space focused on visual reading. Its goal is to connect comics, animation, publishing, and IP creation in one place, with special attention to teenage and young audiences.

The program is organized into six blocks. There will be exhibitions with original art by local creators such as Tango, Ruan Junting, Zhu Yuchen, and Ma Yi, where visitors can see the complete process of a page, from sketch to final art.

The event also includes screenings of animated short films for all audiences in collaboration with the Fei Naqi Animation Week, and a creators' area with independent comics and limited-edition products. Creators will be able to seek publishing deals and IP collaborations with publishers and studios.

One of the most striking blocks is the "Sunbird Graphic Novels" brand exhibition, the first major children's graphic novel showcase in China. It displays original art from The Biography of Hulan and Home, publishes an industry report, and organizes visual storytelling workshops.

Foreign publishers such as France's Bayard and Dargaud share space with Chinese groups like Motie Culture, Yuewen Group, and Light Chaser Animation. The comic reading areas are free and will be open throughout the fair.