Rocío Bonilla

Invitado de Honor

Rocio Bonilla is a children’s book author and illustrator based in Barcelona. She holds a degree in Fine Arts and has worked in various fields such as photography, mural painting, education, and advertising—an area that kept her away from drawing for twelve years.

In 2011, she discovered editorial illustration by chance, and in 2014, she began writing her own stories, publishing Cara de pájaro, her first picture book as both author and illustrator. A year later, she released ¿De qué color es un beso? (What Color Is a Kiss?), the work that launched her onto the international publishing scene.

To date, she has published more than seventy illustrated books, some as a solo creator—such as La montaña de libros más alta del mundo (The Highest Mountain of Books in the World), ¡Hermanos! (Siblings!), Gracias. Historia de un vecindario (Thanks: The Story of a Neighborhood), and La pandilla de los 11 (The Gang of Eleven)—and others in collaboration with authors including Susanna Isern (El gran libro de los superpoderes / The Great Book of Superpowers), Elisenda Roca (Una gran familia / One Big Family), Eulàlia Canal (Los fantasmas no llaman a la puerta / Ghosts Don’t Knock on Doors), and Meritxell Martí (El consultorio de la señora Ánser / Mrs. Goose’s Advice Clinic).

Her picture books have received numerous national and international awards, including the Premio Crítica Serra d’Or, the Premio Libro Kirico, the Prix du Livre Vivant, and finalist distinctions in the Little Hakka Awards and the Young Readers Golden Medal (California).

She was ed in 2018 by the Fundación Cuatrogatos, and her work was featured at the Bratislava Biennial of Illustration (2019) and at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (2021), where it was included among the one hundred best books for early childhood.

Minimoni is her most beloved and recognizable character. Her books have been translated into more than thirty languages worldwide. Her latest literary adventure takes her into children’s fiction with the series Lucas Kent & Greta Rouge, which she also illustrates.

Other activities involving the participant:

Connecting Talents: Collaborative Experiences in Illustrated Books

Xavier Salomó

Invitado de Honor

Just before completing his illustration studies at the Massana School in Barcelona, Xavier (Sabadell, 1976) met Meritxell Martí (Sabadell, 1972) in a bookshop. That encounter marked a turning point in his life. Before then, he had co-founded a small horror film production company with friends, creating ultra-low-budget films that were more comical than frightening. He also directed theatre productions and drew comics for fanzines. Together with Meritxell, he began publishing illustrated books, some in France. In recent years, their international profile has grown, with their books now translated into (so far) 24 languages. Their career has been recognised with several awards, including the Prix du livre vivant (2024), the Icelandic Booksellers’ Prize (2023), the Quebec Booksellers’ Prize (2022) and the Atrapallibres Prize (2021).

Negrescolor

Invitado de Honor

Born in Barcelona in 1978. He studied at Escola Massana. He works as an illustrator and participates in various socially engaged projects. His work has received major recognitions, including the Junceda Award, the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition, the Golden Pinwheel (China), the White Ravens List, and the Bologna Ragazzi Award.

Other activities involving the participant:

From illustration to space
Artistic creation and at-risk childhoods