Montreal Book Fair: conquering teenagers

Personalities loved by young people, spaces intended for teenagers, shows and activities designed for different age groups; The Montreal Book Fair believes it has found the key to attracting teenagers for a whole afternoon in a screen-free place and giving them a taste for reading again.

“As a society, we must work to bring books and reading back to the fore, because literature is the basis of our culture. We must value the pleasure and effort of reading,” says the general director of the Book Fair, Olivier Gougeon.
He wants to win over teenagers.

“Young people don’t read the way we read when we were young. The reading access mode is different. We need to support them more, in my opinion,” says the man who does not see technology as a hindrance, rather as a means of offering young people access to literature.

TikTok to the rescue

How to get there? Areas intended for adolescents have been designed, such as the Lis-moi MTL space for young people aged 12 to 18. The “ideal teen library” has been created. It allows teenagers to discover a selection of books dedicated to them. They are also invited to stick their favorite book on a wall provided for this purpose.

Even TikTok is called in for reinforcement, through the BookTok box. Young people will be able to film themselves there and share the clips on social networks presenting their discoveries and their reading purchases. The concept will be the subject of a workshop, Understanding the BookTok phenomenon, with the popular Jessyca David, Thursday, at 2:15 p.m.

Renowned authors

Meeting well-known children’s authors is also a great way to attract young people. India Desjardins, Alex A. (author of Agent Jean), the author and designer Tristan Demers, Christine Beaulieu (Mitis salmon), Sarah-Maude Beauchesne and Frédérique Dufort are present this year.

The “Manga Zone” has a library that includes a host of Japanese manga-style comics as well as beanbags where you can sit and read. The cabaret of vivid emotions – a workshop on the emotions felt by adolescents, in the company of Simon Boulerice – will also be held this Friday at 3 p.m.

Finally, listening terminals were also placed throughout the Show to allow audio books to be listened to. Olivier Gougeon believes that “being told a story is an access to the story. As the digital book supports the physical book, we encourage authors to mention it.