The Asian Festival of Children’s Content (AFCC), organised by Singapore Book Council, is back for its 17th edition at the National Library Building. This year’s theme, The Worlds We Make, invites children’s book creators, including writers, illustrators and educators, to explore how stories drive action and can inspire positive change. Expect a lineup of panel discussions, featuring international and local speakers, plus presentations, masterclasses, networking sessions and a slew of public programmes. There are also several workshops, including lessons on worldbuilding for picture books, eco book crafting and weaving humour in children's literature to teach values. Workshops do require pre-registration as space for each session is limited.
At the centre of the festival is the AFCC Book Fair, where you can browse over a hundred titles of children's stories from different parts of the world. This year’s list of exhibitors includes homegrown publishers and booksellers such as Epigram Books, Armour Publishing, Alam Cahaya, Closetful of Books and more, alongside Nomad Ink from Mongolia and Taiwan’s Monsoon Zone. The festival is rounded out with a series of exhibitions, including a tribute to Italian author Carlo Collodi, who wrote the popular fairy tale novel The Adventures of Pinocchio.