About the Young Program

The Young Program of the international literature festival berlin (ilb) presents a wide-ranging program of readings and workshops. Its activities form a comprehensive initiative to interactively promote reading and strengthen intercultural skills. In numerous readings and workshops with authors and illustrators from a variety of cultural backgrounds, children and young adults have the opportunity to experience and explore the world’s cultural diversity through shared reading, discussion, and creative engagement. Another central goal of the program is to introduce young readers to aesthetically, literarily, and thematically outstanding and courageous works of contemporary children’s and young adult literature. The festival opens with an opening speech by a young adult author. In addition, there are special formats for families and, since 2025, scenic readings in cooperation with Theater an der Parkaue. From 2012 to 2025, the Young Program has also presented the non-monetary literature award Das außergewöhnliche Buch (the extraordinary book). Beginning in 2026, the festival books will be exhibited as part of the Berlin Reading Summer in three libraries, where they will also be available for borrowing after the festival.

Readings for school classes

The readings of the Young Program are primarily designed for school groups from grades 1 through 12, but are also open to all interested visitors. Each event features a moderated conversation with the international guest, readings from the featured book — with picture-book or comic projections for illustrated works — and a Q&A session with the audience. Experienced hosts, actors and interpreters guide the young audience through the event. Selected readings are preceded by performances by young authors from Berlin and Brandenburg — often of the same age as the student audience — who present excerpts from their award-winning texts.

Venues: Haus der Berliner Festspiele and Theater an der Parkaue

Event language: The readings are interpreted into German. Selected events for grade 9 and up are held entirely in English.

Event duration: 60–75 minutes or 75–90 minutes, depending on the audience’s age and attention span.

Workshops for school classes

Our workshop programme enables students from grades 1 to 12 to engage with a book from the current festival programme through a variety of artistic methods. The focus is on nurturing each child’s creativity and reading skills. All workshops are free of charge, and all participants receive a complimentary copy of the book.

Duration: 1–3 days

Venues: Spaces at various cultural institutions across Berlin

Important information about the format:

• Participants are not required to have read the book beforehand (or only short excerpts).
• Each workshop concludes with a one-hour encounter with the book’s author or illustrator.

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Contact

Head of Young Program

Lena Scheitz
lena.scheitz@literaturfestival.com
+49 30 27 87 86 71

Head of School Communication & Production

Henrike Schmidt
henrike.schmidt@literaturfestival.com
+49 30 27 87 86 72

Student Assistant Young Program

Helene Zinnecker
helene.zinnecker@literaturfestival.com
+49 30 27 87 86 51