As part of the “Explosive Readings” initiative , a proposal from Biblioteques de Barcelona's reading action programme, more than five hundred secondary-education school students will be reading science fiction and fantasy works during the 2022-2023 academic year. This is a project that combines reading-club dynamics, meetings with authors or individuals with links to the works and visits to places relating to the novels. A way of working on reading skills through experiences that are meaningful for students.

The following works are part of the project and linked to Festival 42:

• El dia de l’esquerda (La Galera), by Mar Bosch
• Encélado (Edebé), by Amaya García Arregui and Alberto Mínguez
• Les últimes paraules (Edicions 62), by Santiago H. Amigorena
• El baró rampant (Edicions 62), by Italo Calvino

In addition to these titles, six groups of students will be reading the winning title of the Festival 42's Youth Novel Prize, from November onwards. 

Meetings with the authors will take place during the festival. This means that students will have the opportunity to meet Mar Bosch, Amaya García Arregui and Santiago H. Amigorena. As for the two works by Italo Calvino, participants will meet Quim Noguero, the curator of the exhibition on the Italian author. 

Secundary schools taking part:

• Lluís Vives
• Bosc de Montjuïc
• Salvador Espriu
• Bernat Metge
• Antaviana
• Vapor del Fil
• Eixample
• La Sagrera Sant Andreu
• Infanta Isabel
• Ernest Lluch
• Costa i Llobera
• Turó de Roquetes
• Montjuïc