Hundreds of primary pupils took part in a book challenge at Cartagena’s fair. Local booksellers say interest in reading is growing among children and teenagers, with paper books still holding their ground.
On Thursday, hundreds of primary-school pupils searched for missing words at the Feria del Libro de Cartagena. The challenge, led by Tengua, the Guardian of the Books, sent children between tasks to find clues. Some reached for dictionaries; others made up stories together. It was 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 come back with their families and browse the stalls, carrying a school activity beyond the classroom. The five-day programme has 32 stalls. It also features book presentations and meetings with authors, alongside 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, including bath books and illustrated albums. In the past, he says, many families waited until children could read. Now, more parents treat books as part of early development and encourage paper reading at home. Preliminary figures for 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 because 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.
The fair’s wider programme includes Rayden and Marta Jiménez Serrano. Isabel San Sebastián and Alejandro Palomas are also scheduled to appear, 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. The role of social media 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 has its own 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 on Thursday, Friday and 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»).
