Faced with that sea of illustrations, we were rapidly obliged to make mutual acquaintance, learn what each of us had in mind so as to strike a balance among our five approaches. (...) Tasting everything - sweet, savoury, spicy, even bland - is still the best way of refining the palate of readers the world over.

This was the thinking of the international panel of jurors as they selected the artwork for the 2012 Bologna Illustrators Exhibition. This official catalogue showcases recent works of excellence by a range of established and emerging illustrators of children's literature. The essential biographical information on the artists featured makes this an ideal reference for all lovers of contemporary illustrations for children's books.