Children's Literature Prize Festival
Cento, Italian capital of children's literature
About Children's Literature Prize
Cento, the Italian capital of children's literature
For a few days in May, the Municipality of Cento, in the Province of Ferrara, transforms into the Italian capital of literature for children and adolescents. The Children's Literature Prize Festival is the public face of one of Italy's longest-running and most continuous literary awards, established in 1978 and promoted by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Cento. The first and only jury president at its origins was Gianni Rodari, a legacy that still guides the spirit of the event today.
An award that focuses on young readers
The peculiarity of the Prize lies in its mechanism: a technical jury selects the finalist books each year, divided between primary and lower secondary school levels, but the winners are decided by the Popular Jury, made up of thousands of students who read the titles during the school year and then vote. In the last edition, over eleven thousand young people and more than six hundred classes from all over Italy and abroad participated. It is a rare example of a literary award where the youngest readers decide.
Five days of meetings, workshops, and shows
During the festival, the city comes alive with a packed and free program that involves schools, families, and the curious. Among the typical events:
- Meetings and book signings with the finalist authors and illustrators, held in various venues in the historic center;
- Creative workshops dedicated to illustration, calligraphy, and drawing techniques;
- Shows and illustrated theatre at the Teatro Pandurera, designed for younger audiences;
- Lectio magistralis and conferences on education, reading, and growth;
- Illustration exhibitions related to the Illustrators' Competition, hosted in the city's art galleries;
- Film screenings for children and young people.
The award ceremony
The most anticipated moment is the final ceremony, held in the historic Salone di Rappresentanza of CREDEM, a 16th-century building in Cento, where the winning books chosen by the young jurors are proclaimed. Alongside the main awards, the event presents special recognitions to prominent figures in children's literature and pedagogy.
An event for all of Emilia-Romagna
The Children's Literature Prize Festival is now a benchmark cultural event not only for Cento and the Province of Ferrara but for the entire Emilia-Romagna region, capable of attracting authors, publishers, teachers, and families. It is an opportunity to rediscover the pleasure of reading and to experience the historic center of Cento, the birthplace of the painter Guercino, within a framework of events designed for young people.
Children's Literature Prize — edition 2026
47th Edition (2026)
The festival opened on May 5th at the Teatro Pandurera with a lectio magistralis by Alberto Pellai, titled "Who Educates the Parents? Raising Children Without a Manual." In the following days, there were meetings with finalist authors, illustration and calligraphy workshops, illustrated theatre performances, and the opening of the Illustrators' Competition exhibition. On May 8th, a special recognition was awarded to the pedagogue and writer Antonio Faeti in the Salone di Rappresentanza CREDEM.
The Winners
The award ceremony on May 9th proclaimed the books chosen by the over eleven thousand students of the Popular Jury. For primary school, the winner was "Io, me e le mie avventure. Diario di una fuga" by Charly Delwart; for lower secondary school, "Il leggendario tesoro di Hell Gate" by Davide Morosinotto. The festival concluded with a screening of Guillermo del Toro's animated film Pinocchio.
Programme Children's Literature Prize 2026
2026 Program (May 5-9)
- May 5 – Teatro Pandurera: lectio magistralis by Alberto Pellai "Who Educates the Parents?"; meetings with authors and workshops (Munari Method with Roberta Isola).
- May 6 – Live illustrated theatre with Gek Tessaro ("Pinocchio"); "Penne di Latta" calligraphy workshop; opening of the Illustrators' Competition exhibition at the Pinacoteca San Lorenzo.
- May 7 – Live streaming connection with author Charly Delwart; watercolor and character design workshop with Ilaria Urbinati at the Pinacoteca Civica Il Guercino.
- May 8 – Eight meetings with finalist authors (Valentina Misgur, Cristina Bona, Margherita Tura, Carlo Marconi, Anthony McGowan) in various city center venues; 6:30 PM special recognition to Antonio Faeti (Salone CREDEM).
- May 9 – Award ceremony; 6:00 PM screening of Guillermo del Toro's animated film "Pinocchio."
Highlights Children's Literature Prize 2026
- 47th edition, over eleven thousand student jurors and more than 600 classes from Italy, France, and Croatia
- 198 participating books, six finalists between primary and lower secondary school
- Special recognition to pedagogue Antonio Faeti
- Exhibition of the XXII Illustrators' Competition and illustrated narrative award to "Punto e a capo" by Oliver Jeffers
- Final screening of Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Prices Children's Literature Prize 2026
Practical information — Children's Literature Prize
How to get here
Cento is located in the Province of Ferrara, bordering the Province of Bologna. By car: the reference highway exits are on the A13 (Bologna-Padova) and A1, then provincial roads towards Cento. By train: the nearest stations are Ferrara and Bologna, connected to Cento by intercity bus lines.
Admission
All festival events are free admission. For some meetings and workshops, registration via the official website or channels indicated by the organization is required.
Venues
Events take place in various locations in the historic center: Teatro Pandurera, Salone di Rappresentanza CREDEM, city art galleries, and the headquarters of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Cento.
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Where does it take place — Children's Literature Prize
Teatro Pandurera