By Andrew Richard Albanese, Editor-in-Chief
Ravensburger Verlag GmbH has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Zurich-based publisher NordSüd, parent company of children’s publisher NorthSouth Books. Financial terms were not disclosed. In a release, Ravensburger said the long-established Swiss publisher would remain independent, but will “benefit from the infrastructure and reach of the Ravensburger network.”
Dr. Anuschka Albertz (Photo: Anja Koehler).
Ravensburger is one of Europe’s leading brands for games, puzzles, arts & crafts, and German-language children’s and youth books. In 2025, the company had more than 2,500 employees with net revenues of €744 million ($882 million). Ravensburger also has a presence in the U.S., through its subsidiary, Ravensburger North America.
NordSüd is Switzerland’s largest publisher of children’s books, including Marcus Pfister’s The Rainbow Fish, Hans de Beer’s Lars, the Little Polar Bear, and Torben Kuhlmann’s The Mouse Adventures. It’s New York-based English-language imprint, NorthSouth Books, was founded in 1989, establishing a reputation for high-quality children’s picture books by authors and illustrators from around the world. Distributed by Simon & Schuster, NorthSouth is also home to the Spanish-language imprint Ediciones NorteSur.
In a statement, Ravensburger officials said the “strategic investment” would further expand its children’s book portfolio, and characterized the deal as a partnership.
“The programs of both publishers complement each other perfectly,” said Dr. Anuschka Albertz, Group Managing Director Books+ at Ravensburger, in a statement. “NordSüd stands for extraordinary picture book art and stories that inspire generations. We look forward to setting new trends together and further strengthening the fascination with picture books worldwide. A cooperative and trusting partnership on equal footing is particularly important to us.”
For NordSüd, the partnership brings “new opportunities,” said Herwig Bitsche and Nina Grünberger, Co-Chief Executive Officers of NordSüd, in a joint statement. “We are also looking forward to a lively and trusting exchange.”