On Thursday, hundreds of primary-school pupils searched for missing words at the Feria del Libro de Cartagena. Led by Tengua, the Guardian of the Books, the challenge sent children from one task to the next as they searched for clues. Some reached for dictionaries; others made up stories together. The activity formed part of the children’s programme at the fair’s 33rd edition, which runs from 14 to 18 October on Cartagena’s Juan XXIII Square.
For many pupils, the event is their first visit to the fair. Organisers hope they will return with their families to browse the stalls, extending a school activity beyond the classroom. The five-day programme includes 32 stalls, book presentations and meetings with authors, as well as signing sessions and workshops for children. Free activities for children are scheduled from 5pm to 8pm on Thursday 15 October.
Booksellers say the school visit reflects a shift they have noticed among families. Santiago, owner of Librería Laura, says parents are increasingly looking for books for babies and toddlers, from bath books to illustrated albums. In the past, he says, many families waited until their children could read. Now, more parents see books as part of early development and encourage paper reading at home. Preliminary figures in the Federation of Spanish Publishers’ Guilds’ 2025 domestic book-trade report put children’s and young adult book sales at €649.67 million, around one fifth of the sector’s turnover.
That demand matters as local bookshops face pressure. Several bookshops have closed in the Region in recent years, Santiago says. He remains hopeful: families are buying children’s books and returning to the habit of reading a story before bedtime.
Teenagers, meanwhile, arrive with particular titles in mind. Gloria, who runs a bookshop specialising in young adult literature at the fair, says TikTok and Instagram have helped turn some books into publishing phenomena. Young customers ask for fantasy series and romance novels recommended by online creators.
Rayden and Marta Jiménez Serrano are on the fair’s wider programme. Isabel San Sebastián is also scheduled to appear. Alejandro Palomas is on the programme, as is Rebeca Stones.
Online recommendations have not pushed older books aside. Gloria says classics continue to sell strongly among young readers. El Principito remains popular, as do works by Kafka and other major authors of world literature. Social media’s role in youth culture has also featured in coverage of youth shows from RTVE Play. At the Cartagena fair, booksellers say teenagers come in asking for specific titles they have seen online.
Local publishing also has a place among the stalls. Nuria, from La Playa de los Libros, says the publisher focuses on stories tied to Cartagena, including local legends and accounts of historic bars. Its books have also found readers in other Spanish cities.
For exhibitors, the weather is the immediate worry. The weekend is traditionally the fair’s strongest sales period, but the forecast has left booksellers and publishers uneasy. The fair is open from 10am to 10pm from Thursday through Saturday. On Sunday, it closes at 2pm.
The fair opened on 14 October with a speech by writer Sergio del Molino, whom the programme identifies as the winner of the Alfaguara Novel Prize. He spoke about literature as a meeting point. Cartagena mayor Noelia Arroyo attended the opening. This edition’s theme is «Comienza una nueva historia» («A new story begins»).
