Saint Nicholas of Books and the Sea is coming to the Fair on horseback, and famous writers will teach creative writing and illustration in the “little school” 

 

The audience is the beating heart of the Book Fair(y) in Istria, and this year's Fair programs are once again designed for visitors of all ages. Sections for children and youth hold an important place in the Fair’s program. The 30th Fair(y), which will be held from November 29 to December 8 celebrating the theme Mikrokozmos at the Pula House of Croatian Homeland War Veterans, will offer over 40 programs to children.  Apart from the Hop and Pop readings, at which elementary and high school students engage in creative, interesting, and fun one-hour “classrooms” of the Fair, learning from great authors, writers, directors, screenwriters, illustrators, and animators, there is the Librić program  at the Fair for the youngest audience as well. This year's biggest surprise is the return of Saint Nicholas the Reader to the Book Fair(y) in Istria. Namely, The Festival of Children's Books – Monte Librić is organizing the city's welcoming event for Saint Nicholas, who will arrive to Pula’s Fair, under the name of Saint Nicholas of Books and the Sea. The welcoming event, co-organized by the Book Fair(y) in Istria, is part of the Advent in Pula program. Slavica Ćurković, the director of Monte Librić and the head organizer of the Book Fair(y) in Istria, organized all programs for children and youth at the 30th Fair, aimed at awakening love towards reading and arts among the youngest generation. 

The Hop reading program is intended for elementary school students with content adapted for their age and interests. Literature and art in general in the Hop reading program are introduced through conversations with younger authors, illustrators, and comic book artists… “Through one-day workshops, we introduce children with literature in unexpected and intriguing ways”, announced Slavica Ćurković  the Hop reading program, which will take place in the House of Croatian Homeland War Veterans from 2 to 6 December starting at 10 a.m. The program will be coordinated by the comic book artists, brothers Vibor and Vjeran Juhas from Pula. This year they will host the illustrator Ana Salopek, the illustrator and designer Franka Tretinjak, the illustrator Marko Pinjuh, the illustrator and children’s literature writer Nena Pavelić, the illustrator and children's literature author, and the illustrator and animator Manuel Šumberac. 

“Pop reading of the 30th Book Fair(y) in Istria is envisaged as a short-term school of creating and creative writing in different forms, from screenwriting, via prose to rock poetry. Over five days and five Pop Readings, the high school audience will listen to established and successful authors talking about the processes of thinking, creating, and bringing prose to life, screenwriting, and poetic texts—all presented in a comprehensible and inspiring way to a younger audience. Above all, the goal is to motivate visitors to explore the authors' literary work from different generations and aesthetics influenced by classical literature,” said Slavica Ćurković about the program Pop Reading, which will be held from Monday, 2 December, to Friday, 6 December, in the Red Salon at 11 a.m. The program will be led by Emir Imamović Pirke, the writer and journalist, who has been a Fair's longtime collaborator. The writer Ante Tomić will present the topic ‘Kako se piše film’ (How to Write a Movie) on Monday, December 2. On Tuesday, December 3, Pirke will discuss the topic ‘Kako misliti roman’ (How to Think a Novel) with the writer Andrej Nikolaidis. On Wednesday, December 4, the central theme will be ‘Kako se priča slikama’ (How to tell a story with images), with the director Boris Miljković as the guest. On Thursday, December 5, Sejo Saxon, the founder and frontman of the band Zabranjeno pušenje, will discuss the topic ‘Kako se piše rock and roll’ (How to Write Rock and Roll), and on Friday, December 6, the main interlocutor for the topic ‘Kako se počinje pisati roman’ (How to start writing a Novel) will be the writer Ena Katarina Haler.

The Saint Nicholas of Books and the Sea welcome event starts at 10 a.m. on December 6, and is enriched with multimedia content to make it more engaging and fun for the Fair's youngest visitors.  The program focuses on encouraging reading and fostering love for literature, which is also the main mission of Monte Librić, the fair's younger “sibling” dedicated to children's audience and young readers.
“Saint Nicholas will on December 6 at 10 a.m. lead the procession riding a white horse. There will be fairies, angels on cradles, sailors, drummers, and many other costumed characters. The joyful procession will start from Arena, continue along the Amphitheatre Street to the City Library, proceed down the Kandler Street to the Forum, through the street of Sergijevaca, and then via Dante Square reach the House of Croatian Homeland War Veterans. Students from the first and second grades of Pula's elementary schools, together with the kindergarten children, will gather there in the Red Salon, transformed for the occasion into a disco club. DJ Krampus will entertain them by playing popular music. This Fair's disco will be a spot where they will discuss reading, books, and the importance thereof. Children will watch a live broadcast of Saint Nicholas and his procession through the city. Of course, a highlight of the event will be Saint Nicholas's arrival to the House of Croatian Homeland War Veterans. Saint Nicholas will traditionally gift children with oranges,” explains Slavica Ćurković. She also notes that on the same day at 5 p.m., Saint Nicholas of Books and the Sea, with DJ Krampus and Judita, will visit children in the Blue Salon of the House of Croatian Homeland War Veterans, where the Fair’s Librić program is held. 

The party is guaranteed, and for all parents who wish for Saint Nicholas to gift their children a book, the Book Fair(y) in Istria will make it happen, by offering an extra discount. There will be a special shop booth with a wide selection of picture books and children's books to be gifted by Saint Nicholas. These discounted books can be chosen and purchased with an extra discount on this occasion. Parents who want their little ones to receive a book, as a gift from Saint Nicholas of Books and the Sea at the Fair, must contact the Sales Department of the Fair by December 6 at the email address prodaja@sanjamknjige.hr .

This year’s Fair’s Librić program also includes literary presentations of the latest editions from Croatian publishers for children, taking place in the Blue Salon at 9 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. from 2-5 December. On Monday, December 2, at 9 and 10.30 a.m. Mozaik will present the book ‘Hrvatski znamenitaši’ (The Croatian Notables) hosted by Marko Hadjur. On Tuesday, December 3, at 9 a.m. Alfa will present ‘Sudoku za djecu’ (Sudoku for Kids), at 10.30 a.m. ‘Equi za djecu’ (Equi for Kids), both hosted by Tea Borković. On Wednesday, December 4, at 9 a.m. the publishing house Ljevak will present ‘Bajkoviti adventski calendar’ (The Fairytale Advent Calendar), and at 10.30 a.m. the book ‘To je matematika’ (This Is Maths), both hosted by Emica Calogjera Rogić. On Thursday, December 5, at 9 and 10.30 a.m. Planetopija will present the book ‘Postanimo stručnjaci za emocije’ (Let’s Become Experts for Emotions) hosted by Nataša Ozmec and Vlasta Prohaska. 

The Librić evening program is during the whole 30th Fair reserved for ‘Šašave ure librokulture’ (Silly Hours of Bookculture), a creative and fun workshop led by Ludita (Sedina Cerovac), starting at 6 p.m., and is followed by Grandma Librić (Gordana Trajković), one of Monte Librić's most loved characters, closing the program with a Bedtime Story. 

As usual, the Fair will exhibit more than ten thousand titles available to visitors at special prices, including numerous picture books and books for children and young adults. The main sponsors of the 30th Book Fair(y) in Istria are the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, the Istrian County, the City of Pula, Zagrebačka banka, and Arena Hospitality Group.