Post by Humboldt Science Center for Child Development (HumanKind)

More than 300,000 visitors — and we were right there among them. After visiting the Forum Unibund and the Universität Leipzig stand of the Leipziger Buchmesse, we headed straight for the children’s and young adult books. It was especially encouraging to see that emotions are no longer treated as a side topic, but instead take center stage in so many stories — told with sensitivity and beautifully illustrated, as KiKA von ARD und ZDF, Beltz Verlagsgruppe, Verlagsgruppe Oetinger, Magellan Verlag or other publisher demonstrated so impressively. Our personal highlight was the “Mental Recharge Station,” created by the Beisheim Stiftung Deutschland together with #ZEITLeo (ZEIT Verlagsgruppe). In the middle of the bustle of the Leipziger Buchmesse, it offered a protected space for short breaks, meditation, breathing exercises, and workshops — especially for children and adolescents. Initiatives like this show how important it is to address mental health and resilience early, visibly, and in ways that are accessible in everyday life. At #HumanKind, this is exactly the question that guides our work: How can we support children’s development in ways that help them grow up healthy, strong, and connected? That made it all the more meaningful to encounter such inspiring impulses at the book fair.

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