Reading plays a fundamental role in the growth of children because it stimulates the imagination and helps to develop skills and abilities, as the numerous initiatives promoted on the occasion of World Book and Copyright Day, which is celebrated today, 23 April, remind us.

Intelleg(g)o is the theme chosen for the 2025 edition of Il Maggio dei Libri (The Month of Books), a national campaign that invites people to bring books and reading into non-traditional contexts, in order to reach those who do not usually read but who may become interested if engaged in the right way. Conceived by the Centre for Books and Reading (Cepell) and organised with the involvement of local authorities, libraries, bookshops, cultural associations, schools, publishers and other stakeholders, it began today and will run until 31 May. Information on how to participate in the campaign is available at www.ilmaggiodeilibri.cepell.it.

To further explore the theme of the Day, we point out other initiatives aimed at promoting reading.

Cepell has also launched the Competition of Ideas Quando i ragazzi ci insegnano (When Young People Teach Us). Now in its sixth edition, it is aimed at students from Italian upper secondary schools, both in Italy and abroad, who must send their entries required by the regulations by 1pm on 31 May 2025.

Information on how to apply [6] can be found on the website of the Centre for Books and Reading.

The events for schools that form part of the rich programme of the Turin International Book Fair (15-19 May) are also worth noting. The full programme is available [7] on the website of the Book Fair.

Finally, we present the following study materials selected from the A.C. Moro Innocenti Library, intended for anyone involved in working with children and adolescents in various capacities including institutional representatives, teachers, educators, social workers, university students, and others:

• Bibliographic research on books for children and young people [8] (selection of texts that can be used by those working with children and young people to address various topics, such as children's rights, gender issues, bullying, etc.);
• Bibliographic research on books about children's and young people's literature [9];
• Bibliographic research on reading education and reading promotion [10];
• Bibliography edited by the Library on the occasion of the National Day for the Promotion of Reading on 24 March 2023, available on the Library website, in the Bibliographies [11] section. 

Additional materials and news can be found on this website under Education [3] and Leisure and cultural activities [4], accessible from the “Topics” navigation menu.