German children’s book publisher and games company Ravensburger has acquired a majority stake in NordSüd, parent company of the U.S. children’s book publisher, NorthSouth Books. According to the announcement, the Zurich-based NordSüd will remain independent, but “will benefit from the infrastructure and reach of the Ravensburger network.”
NorthSouth Books is best known for The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister, a perennial bestseller that spent 37 weeks on PW’s children picture book bestseller lists in 2025. Other titles published by NorthSouth include Little Polar Bear by Hans de Beer, The Three-Year Tumble by Dayeon Auh, and A Chest Full of Words by Rebecca Gugger and Simon Röthlisberger.
Anuschka Albertz, group managing director at Ravensburger, said in a statement that NordSüd ownership of NorthSouth was an important consideration in making the acquisition. She noted that while Ravensburger can learn from NorthSouth’s experience in the U.S., NorthSouth will benefit from Ravensburger's invesement in the company.
In 2025, Ravensburger had 2,515 employees and revenue of €744 million (about $880 million at current exchange rates).
