In this discussion moderated by writer and illustrator Miriam Galea, various professionals from the publishing industry will come together to discuss the opportunities and challenges for children’s writing and book production in Malta. What new heights have Maltese children’s books reached? What obstacles – some better described as mountains – is the Maltese children’s book facing in 2025? Production quality, the use of AI in illustrations, the (ir)relevance of themes, narrative originality, and the language that reaches children are some of the pressing questions that will be put to our guests. The participants are publisher Chris Gruppetta, illustrator Moira Scicluna Zahra, author Claudia Aloisio, and the NBC Executive Director Sandra Hili Vassallo. This discussion will interest anyone who has the development of children in Malta through books at heart, and it will also serve as a point of reference for three of the five pillars of the newly published NBC five-year strategy.