About 10,000 books have been exhibited today at the 14th International Children's and Youth Book Fair. Every child who came to the launch received a book as a gift, as the previous years. This year, they got by a poetry book written by Ianos Turcanu – “The Snails do not Read Newspapers”, Info-Prim Neo reports. The International Children's and Youth Book Fair is traditionally held in April. This year, as last year, it is housed by Moldexpo. Earlier, it was staged at the Licurici Bookshops. The exhibition includes books by the most popular writers, illustrators, translators, editors etc. Claudia Gurschi, the head of a branch of the National Children's Library “Ion Creanga” which organizes the event, said that this year the fair will be by one day longer. “The atmosphere is very nice. Small children come with their parents and grandparents to see the exhibit or purchase books,” she said. “There is no such large-scale event in Romania. We have taken part in the fair for ten years and gained experience and intend to stage a similar event in Romania in the near future,” said the executive director of the Union of Editors of Romania, Claudiu Istrati. He added that the number of children visiting the fair this year is larger than ever. Tatiana Muntean, seller-consultant at the stand of the publishing house Prut International, said they sold many books on the first day of the exhibition. Acting President Mihai Ghimpu was among the buyers. He purchased books to the value of 1,000 lei and gave them to children around him, Tatiana Muntean said, adding that they offer a 10% discount. Poet Ianos Turcanu, who won the Book of the Year prize at the previous fair, said the exhibition is a holiday. “I feel wonderful today as I made the children happy by giving them the book “The Snails do not Read Newspapers,” he said. Last year, the surprise book of the fair was “Sfredelus” by Aureliu Busuioc. The fair brought together 105 publishing houses from nine countries, counting Moldova, Romania, Russia, France, Germany, China, Belarus, Poland, and Serbia. The ceremony to award the laureates of the fair will take place on Sunday, April 25, starting at 12.00.