Délires de Lire - Youth Book Fair

Délires de Lire: the youth literary event of Saint-Gervais-la-Forêt

Délires de Lire is the youth book fair of Saint-Gervais-la-Forêt, a town located near Blois in Loir-et-Cher. Created over ten years ago, this literary event has become an unmissable event for families and fans of youth literature in the Centre-Val de Loire region.

A fair dedicated to youth creation

Each edition of Délires de Lire hosts about twenty authors and illustrators of youth literature, carefully selected for the diversity of their graphic styles and themes. For three days, the public can meet these artists during signing sessions, discover their work in creative workshops, and attend shows and readings in the Jean-Claude Deret space. The organizers ensure a variety of illustrators with diverse graphic universes, thus introducing children to the diversity of artistic creation.

A unifying theme each year

Each edition explores a different theme that runs through the entire program. The 10th edition (2025) had the theme "Weaving Connections: Friendships, Sharing, Encounters...", inviting visitors to reflect on human relationships through the lens of literature. This unifying theme guides the choice of invited authors, the workshops offered, and the school projects.

Involvement of educational institutions

Since the creation of the fair, students and teachers from Saint-Gervais-la-Forêt and neighboring towns have been involved in the event through a visual arts project related to the edition's theme. The works created by the students are exhibited during the fair, forming a significant part of the event. In-class meetings with invited authors are also organized before the fair, allowing for in-depth educational work on books and illustration.

A monumental mural and various activities

Among the emblematic activities of the fair is the creation of a collective monumental mural, in which the public is invited to participate. Traveling shows, readings in the Jean-Claude Deret space, literary games, and creation workshops complete the program. The fair's bookstore allows visitors to purchase the works of the present authors and leave with a dedication.