"[...] Against all odds, the book continues to hold a special place in the hearts of children. Reading aloud remains a special moment of complicity between adults and children. And that’s good news, given how important early reading is for learning language, overcoming fears, and understanding the world. Even teenagers, with their passion for romance and hero fantasies, will happily immerse themselves in a thick book [...] The growth of children’s books can also be measured by their economic good health. In 2023, the sector was worth almost US$12 billion worldwide, making it a publishing heavyweight in many countries. And this boom is not just due to the success of some global bestsellers. Everywhere, passionate publishers are producing quality books, including in non-mainstream languages. The book What makes us human, co-published by UNESCO, and already available in twenty-one editions, illustrates this approach well. And yet, despite its economic, symbolic, educational and cultural heft, children’s literature continues to suffer from a lack of recognition. Despite its successes, very little critical space is dedicated to the genre in the traditional media. It’s as if writing for children remains – in the minds of many – a minor activity, an eternal sub-genre." (Editorial)