Bright at London Book Fair 2026

London Book Fair returned to Kensington Olympia London this week, and the Bright team was thrilled to be back in the heart of the action.

This year, the fair carries special significance as part of the National Year of Reading, with a renewed emphasis on reading for pleasure and encouraging children to discover books about the things they love. Across the three days, we noticed a real appetite for a diverse range of niche topics in children’s literature. The message is simple: if you’re into it, read into it!

The Bright team brought brand-new portfolios, fresh concepts and exciting projects from our artists across picture books, fiction, non-fiction, licensing and more. It’s always energising to see the spark in publishers’ eyes when they encounter these works in person.

“LBF opens bookfair season — setting the tone for the year ahead — so I’m eagerly anticipating what my first day of meetings will reveal. 2026 is anchored by the National Year of Reading so more than ever, I think publishers are in the mood to be surprised, as we continue to centre children’s taste and satisfaction. Watch this space.” — Susan Penny

“There’s a real buzz at book fairs that you just can’t replicate anywhere else, it’s all about sharing our illustrators’ work in person and seeing that spark come to life!” — Márcia Sousa

“One thing I want to say is how proud I am of the Bright agents — how individual they are, how distinctive their lists are, and how confident they are. Seeing them together, how supportive and collaborative they are. There’s a real synergy in what they can achieve as a team, sharing leads, expertise and support. I think that’s what makes Bright so different and so unique. . . and we’re having a really good time!” — Vicki Willden Lebrecht

The atmosphere at London Book Fair has been buzzing with inspiring meetings, exciting conversations, and plenty of opportunities to showcase the incredible creativity of our artists. With the fair kicking off the bookfair season, we’re looking forward to carrying this momentum into the year ahead.

To see our latest portfolios, get in touch and let us know which Bright agent you’d like to speak with here.