Children's
Literature
Industry
Days

25-27 November
2026

All children’s authors and illustrators, agents and publishers, students and professionals, enthusiasts and lovers are invited to CREATOR ISLAND – three days of lectures, training sessions and networking opportunities for those working or interested in the children’s book industry.
This year, we are celebrating our 10th anniversary and all events are FREE!

2026 FOCUS

The 2026 tagline is POP! We’ll explore what popular literature actually is: classics that remain on top lists for decades, or striking contemporary bestsellers? What is more important for an author – being a talented creator or a charismatic personality? Can being different drive popularity? Does going against the grain always guarantee quality? How do you “sell” reading? What matters more – a book that changed a single life, or a story that made hundreds of readers giggle? Let’s rethink popularity together!

We are delighted to have Sweden as the guest of honour and to host the 2026 event in collaboration with Children's Literature Festival Litteralund.

VENUES

• Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania

• Vilnius Literary House

• Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts

• Vilnius University

Speakers

Emma Karinsdotter

Sweden
Children’s book author who creates stories blending humor with darker themes – exploring everything from men's secret tears and fathers turning into dinner to grief and high adventure. Emma has published 10 children's books, which have been translated into 15 languages.

Bart Moeyaert

Belgium
Acclaimed author whose work for readers of all ages occupies a unique place in Dutch-language literature. Since his debut in 1983, Bart’s books have been translated into 28 languages and earned numerous domestic and international accolades, culminating in the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2019.

Ulrika Kestere

Sweden
Latvian-born Swedish author and illustrator. Ulrika has published six children’s books, which have been translated into 18 languages. She enjoys creating stories with a touch of philosophy and layered narratives that speak to readers of all ages.

Mawil

Germany
Comic artist and illustrator based in Berlin. Mawil began self-publishing his first fanzines in East Berlin in the 1980s and has since grown into one of Germany’s most celebrated graphic novelists, known for his humorous, semi-autobiographical stories and distinctive visual style.

Emma Virke

Sweden
Picture book maker, artist, and graphic designer based in Stockholm, Sweden. Emma experiments with new techniques, exploring the book as an interactive art form while telling stories.

Inga Dagilė

Lithuania
Freelance designer, children's book illustrator, and book designer based in Kaunas. Recognized with prestigious national awards and selected as a finalist at the Bologna Silent Book Contest. Alongside illustrating, Inga leads creative workshops for children and is passionate about art therapy, healthy living, and sports.

Dagrún Ósk Jónsdóttir

Iceland
Folklorist, researcher, and lecturer at the University of Iceland. Dagrún is passionate about sharing the knowledge and joy of Icelandic folk legends through exhibitions, podcasts, and books. Her most recent book, co-authored with fellow folklorist Jón Jónsson, explores the lore surrounding Iceland’s Christmas tradition, bringing forgotten tales of Grýla, Leppalúði, and the Yule Lads to light.

Ignas Meilūnas

Lithuania
Animation director and producer based in Vilnius. After years of working with different animation techniques, Ignas settled on stop-motion animation, mainly creating short films for young audiences. His works have traveled the world and won awards at major international film festivals. Ignas has also adapted well-known children's literature for the screen. He is the co-founder of the Vilnius-based animation studio Kadrų Skyrius.

Linda Bondestam

Finland
Illustrator and author who has collaborated with numerous writers in Finland and internationally. Linda’s work frequently explores themes of diversity, tolerance, and empathy, bringing warmth, humor, and shape to unique characters. Her dynamic artistic style combines traditional media – including paint, pencil, crayons, and collage – with digital techniques to keep her process playful and inventive.

Rūta Briede

Latvia
Illustrator, children’s book author, scenographer, art editor, and lecturer at the Art Academy of Latvia. Her debut book has been translated into multiple languages, and her work for Marts Pujāts’ poetry collection was selected for the Bologna Children’s Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition. Rūta has won the International Jānis Baltvilks Award and the Golden Apple Book Art Award.

Emelie Östergren

Sweden
Cartoonist, children's book author, and artist known for her experimental, avant-garde style infused with fantasy and surrealism. Since her debut in 2007, Emelie has created numerous comics and picture books. Her multidisciplinary work also extends to the stage, including writing play scripts for the Royal Theatre in Stockholm.

Neringa Mongirdaitė

Lithuania
Illustrator and visual artist based in Lithuania, working across drawing, painting, and animation. In her creative practice, Neringa explores the interplay between playfulness and concept, deriving inspiration from nature, mundane everyday moments, and personal reflection.

Elin Lindell

Sweden
Children’s book author, illustrator, and comic book artist. Having started her career as a journalist for KP – the world’s oldest children’s magazine – Elin realised she loved writing fiction even more. Over the past two decades, Elin has created around 25 books that highlight the humor and charm found in everyday life.

Greta Alice

Lithuania
Illustrator with a backpack who loves discovering character in everyday objects, bringing them to life with expressive faces and quirky personalities. Greta has illustrated more than 60 children’s books and approaches her work with humor, playfulness, and a fondness for potato chips.

Jolanta Pētersone
Latvia
Translator of children’s and adult literature, based in Latvia. Jolanta has spent around twenty years translating, mainly from Norwegian and Swedish, with a primary focus on children's literature. Thanks to her work, Latvian readers can enjoy books by acclaimed Nordic authors and illustrators.

Kotryna Zylė

Lithuania
Author, illustrator and ambassador for local mythical creatures. She is also the co-founder of Creator Island events and the mind behind a blog chronicling modern Lithuanian children’s and YA literature through lively creator interviews – 'book anatomies'.

Daiva Čepauskaitė

Lithuania
Poet, playwright, and actor who transitioned from medicine to the arts, recognized as Lithuania’s most popular playwright of 2025. Author of five poetry collections and numerous plays, her venture into children's poetry blends playfulness, dark humor, and horror with the conviction that young readers deserve the highest quality.

Viltarė Urbaitė

Lithuania
Translator of children’s and adult literature based in Lithuania. Having translated over 70 books from Finnish and Estonian, her two decades of work include three award-winning translations recognized by IBBY Lithuania for Most Significant Translation of the Year.

Anti Saar

Estonia
Writer and translator based in Tartu, Estonia. Anti writes mostly for children and translates French literature for adults. Known for stories that subtly reflect everyday life, his children’s books have gained widespread recognition in Estonia and have been translated into a dozen languages.

Ieva Toleikytė

Lithuania
Writer and translator of Danish literature based in Lithuania. Working at an independent bookstore, she mainly writes poetry and authored a children's book about mushrooms. Her work as a translator includes classic fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen.

2025:

Organizers

Kotryna Zylė

Writer, Illustrator,
Founder of Creator Island

Justinas Vancevičius

Head of literature promotion program
"Vaikų žemė (Children's World)",
Founder of Creator Island

Greta Alice

Illustrator, Comics artist,
Curator of the Exhibition, Coordinator of Creator Island

Jurga Tumasonytė

Writer, Author of Creator Island
guests' interviews

Illustration: Inga Dagilė
Design: Miglė Vasiliauskaitė
Translation: Audronė Kvietkutė

Anželika Bielskienė

Educator,
Coordinator of Creator Island

Gabrielė Gaižiūnaitė

Communications Creative,
Social Media Administrator

Event organised by

Centre for School Improvement
Reading promotion programme CHILDREN'S WORLD
Children's Literature Festival LITTERALUND
LIELS UN MAZS

Partners

Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania
Lithuanian Culture Institute
IBBY Lithuania
Lithuanian Publishers Association
Vilnius UNESCO City of Literature
Vilnius Academy of Arts
Vilnius University Philology Faculty
Lithuanian Writers’ Union
Literatūra ir menas
"Būkčia" kombucha

Financially supported by

Lithuanian Council for Culture
Vilnius Municipality
Flanders Literature

In partnership with

"Europe for Children 2026-2028",
funded by European Union and
Lithuanian Culture Institute

CREATOR
ISLAND

THE MAIN VENUE

Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania
(Gediminas av. 51)
Vilnius, Lithuania

CONTACT US

labas@vaikuzeme.lt
kotryna.zy@gmail.com

Children's Literature
Industry Days