When PAPP International CEO and founder George Papp started his publishing company in 2004, he was among the first to sell high quality educational books in value chain stores across North America. The teacher-developed educational workbooks sold briskly, but Papp’s choice of retailers raised eyebrows in the publishing community.

“When we first exhibited at international trade fairs, some of our more traditional publishing colleagues didn’t quite know what to make of us,” Papp says, smiling. “We’d sometimes overhear comments like, ‘They’re the publisher that sells to value chain stores’—as if that was somehow a negative. But we’ve always believed there’s value in reaching readers wherever they are.”

Twenty-one years later, PAPP is a thriving independent publisher with half a dozen diverse imprints and more than 300 million books sold worldwide. It’s a licensing partner to such major global brands as Mattel, Hasbro, and Paramount. Acquiring Chouette Publishing—home to the iconic preschool IP Caillou—and its imprint CrackBoom! to form its fifth and sixth unique imprints in 2023 further extended its footprint into the more traditional publishing market and cemented its mission and company tagline to “keep growing.”

The team Papp has cultivated over the years is a passionate collective of individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures. What unites them is a deep love of books and a shared belief in the company’s afore mentioned mission. Each member brings a unique perspective, but all are guided by the same purpose—to create meaningful reading experiences for families everywhere. That passion, paired with a steadfast commitment to accessibility and creativity, continues to shape the company’s evolving identity and direction.

“All our imprints increase our ability as a publishing company to be part of our customers’ lives in meaningful ways,” Papp says. “Whether it’s a new storybook that inspires, an adult activity book that provides leisure activity while promoting mental acuity, or a licensed activity book that helps parents reduce their kids’ screen time and improve fine motor skills, each imprint has its own focus.”

The CrackBoom! acquisition particularly excites the team. Historically seen as a strong French-Canadian imprint, CrackBoom!’s crossover titles in English have thrived—resonating with global audiences with strong storytelling and universal themes like curiosity, connection, empathy, and imagination. “This ability to transcend borders, both creatively and linguistically, is what makes our publishing program so dynamic,” Papp says.

PAPP continues to publish the imprint’s existing titles based on The Little Prince as well as new ones, having secured global ancillary rights, and plans to expand the brand with additional PAPP formats. By blending the beloved global classic with PAPP’s educational focus and varied formats, they’ve successfully reintroduced the character to a new generation and thrilled international partners.

With the heritage imprint, Chouette, having sold more than 15 million Caillou books worldwide in 35-plus years, PAPP sees tremendous potential for the backlist and new titles as well as future media applications. PAPP will continue publishing select classic editions while partnering with WildBrain and IoM on new content to support the 3D Caillou reboot available via Peacock. “This new iteration of Caillou focuses on lessons learned through storytelling. It gets back to the original intent of the character, which was to contribute to every child’s developmental journey, helping them discover the world, their emotions, and life around us,” Papp says.

Looking ahead, PAPP is continuing its global reach in both the Spanish-language and English-language markets—all while staying grounded in its roots. “Our educational workbooks have been sold for 21 years, meaning that some of the first Beaver Book kids may now be buying the same books for their own children,” Papp says. “It’s a wonderful feeling.”