Popular Book Company

What Popular Book Company does

Popular Book Company (Canada) Ltd. is a privately held educational workbook publisher incorporated in 1994 and headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ontario. The company designs, produces, and distributes print and digital workbooks for Canadian children from Preschool through Grade 12, covering Math, English, Science, French, and integrated subjects. Content is developed in-house by a team of teachers, editors, and designers and aligned with Canadian provincial and territorial curricula, with bilingual English/French support including dedicated materials for French immersion programs (Programme canadien complet series). Sub-brands include MathSmart, EnglishSmart, FrenchSmart, ScienceSmart, Complete Canadian Curriculum, SummerSmart, CodingSmart, and STEM Smart, with flagship Complete Smart series titles having sold over 3 million copies cumulatively since 1999.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model primarily through its proprietary bilingual e-commerce storefront (popularbook.ca), supplemented by digital distribution via Apple iBookstore (iPad apps since 2012) and downloadable PDF workbooks (eComplete series priced at $9.99 CDN). A School Ambassador Program enables direct institutional sales and bulk discounts to Canadian schools and school boards, while a 40% commission affiliate program and Parents' Club loyalty membership (offering up to 50% discounts) drive consumer acquisition and retention. Unit prices range from $6.99 to $21.95 CDN per workbook. Products reach 17+ countries across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, though Canada remains the core market. The company is a subsidiary of Popular Holdings Ltd., is privately held with no disclosed external funding, and operates with 11-50 employees.

Name

Popular Book Company

Legal name

Popular Book Company (Canada) Ltd.

Website

https://popularbook.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Popular Book Company is a Canadian educational workbook publisher that designs, produces, and sells print and digital curriculum-aligned learning materials for children from Preschool to Grade 12 across Math, English, Science, and French, serving parents, schools, and homeschool families in Canada and 17+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Activity & Workbook Publishing (MPAJAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Children’s Activity & Practice Books (Workbooks, Puzzles, Handwriting) (EDAGAIAE), Children’s Nonfiction Educational (Science, History, Nature) (EDAGAIAC)

Keywords

• Educational workbook publishing
• Children's curriculum workbooks
• Canadian curriculum materials
• Supplemental education resources
• Print and digital learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond Hill

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Physical Workbook Sales: One-time purchase of print workbooks covering Math, English, Science, French, and integrated subjects for preschool to Grade 12. Products sold at price points ranging from $6.99 to $21.95 CDN with regular promotional discounts (50% off available through Parents' Club membership).
2. Digital PDF E-Book Sales: Downloadable PDF versions of workbooks sold at lower price points (e.g., $9.99 CDN for eComplete MathSmart Grade 12). Available across all subject areas and grade levels.
3. Affiliate Program Commission: 40% commission paid to affiliates for qualifying purchases made through affiliate referral links. Affiliates can earn rewards including iPads, Airpods, and Nintendo Switches.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Popular Book Company is a Canadian educational publisher that produces and sells print and digital workbooks for children from Preschool through Grade 12, aligned with curricula of all Canadian provinces and territories. Core product lines include the Complete Canadian Curriculum, Complete MathSmart, Complete EnglishSmart, Complete FrenchSmart, Complete ScienceSmart, Complete SummerSmart, and Complete STEM Smart series, complemented by CodingSmart and French immersion (Programme canadien complet) offerings. Products are sold both in physical book form and as downloadable PDF e-books (eComplete series), with select titles also distributed as interactive iPad apps.

Product overview

Popular Book Company is an educational publisher offering a comprehensive portfolio of print and digital workbooks for Canadian children from Preschool through Grade 12. The core product lines include the Complete Canadian Curriculum series (covering Math, English, Science, and Social Studies), the Smart series sub-brands (Complete MathSmart, Complete EnglishSmart, Complete FrenchSmart, Complete ScienceSmart), and seasonal/specialty products (Complete SummerSmart, Complete STEM Smart). Products span both print workbooks and digital formats including downloadable PDFs (eComplete series) and iPad apps distributed through Apple iBookstore. The company also offers French immersion-specific materials through the Programme canadien complet series, coding education via CodingSmart, and supplementary audio resources. Materials align with Canadian provincial curricula and are developed in-house by experienced teachers, editors, and designers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MathSmart: Mathematics workbook series for grades preschool through 12, including Advanced MathSmart and Complete MathSmart variants.
• EnglishSmart
• FrenchSmart
• ScienceSmart
• Complete Canadian Curriculum
• SummerSmart
• CodingSmart
• STEM Smart
• eComplete

Products and services

• Complete Canadian Curriculum Series Comprehensive curriculum-based workbooks covering Math, English, Science, and Social Studies for grades 1-8, aligned with Canadian provincial curriculum standards. Designed for Canadian schools and homeschoolers.
• Complete MathSmart Series Comprehensive math workbooks covering grades from Preschool through Grade 12, including advanced topics like trigonometry, quadratic relations, and analytical geometry for high school students.
• Complete EnglishSmart Series Comprehensive English language workbooks covering reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, usage, writing, and phonics for Kindergarten, Preschool, and Grades 1-8.
• Complete FrenchSmart Series French language learning workbooks for children in Grades 4-8, designed to complement and consolidate French as a Second Language learning in school.
• Complete ScienceSmart Series Science workbooks covering Grades 1-8 with curriculum-based content including activities to stimulate curiosity and master basic science concepts.
• Complete SummerSmart Series Summer learning workbooks designed to help children retain knowledge from the previous school year and prepare for the next grade, covering English, Math, Science, and Social Studies.
• Complete STEM Smart Series STEM-focused workbooks for Grades 1-6 combining Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics concepts in engaging activities.
• CodingSmart Series Coding books for beginners introducing children ages 6-11 to fundamental coding concepts through fun and engaging activities.
• Programme canadien complet (French Immersion Series) French immersion school series workbooks covering Math, French Language, Social Studies, and Science for Grades 1-3, designed specifically for French immersion schools.
• eComplete Digital PDF Workbooks Downloadable digital PDF versions of MathSmart, ScienceSmart, SummerSmart, and other workbooks, available for Pre-K through Grade 12, offering curriculum-based content in electronic format at $9.99 CDN.
• Interactive EnglishSmart (iPad) iPad-optimized interactive workbooks distributed through Apple's iBookstore since 2012, offering an engaging and instant digital learning experience for students using Apple devices.
• Bilingual ReadSmart Audio Content Bilingual audio resources in English and French to support literacy development and provide engaging read-along experiences for young children.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3 million copies of Complete Smart series titles sold since 1999
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Popular Holdings Ltd.parent companyOthersParent company of Popular Book Company (Canada) Ltd. Listed as owner/operator of popularworld.com website. Provides corporate umbrella and presumably operational support for the Canadian subsidiary.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Scholastic: Global children's book and educational publisher operating school book clubs, book fairs, and curriculum-aligned supplemental materials. Directly comparable to Popular Book Company in publishing supplemental educational workbooks and learning content for K-12 students, though at much greater scale and with broader US/international reach.
• Carson Dellosa Education: US-based publisher of educational workbooks, activity books, and classroom supplies for preschool through grade 12. Direct competitor in curriculum-aligned supplemental workbooks, with overlapping product categories (math, reading, language arts) and similar school + parent distribution model.
• Kumon: Operates a globally scaled workbook-based supplemental learning system for math and reading, with strong franchise and direct-to-consumer channel. Comparable to Popular Book Company in selling workbook-based math and reading practice, though Kumon is also a tutoring service operator.
• Brain Quest: Publishes grade-specific workbook and question-and-answer sets for children, widely sold through retail and online channels. Directly comparable to Popular Book Company in the children's activity/workbook category, especially for grades K-6 across core subjects.
• School Zone Publishing: Family-owned US publisher of children's educational workbooks, flash cards, and learning software across preschool to grade 6 subjects. Closely matches Popular Book Company's model of curriculum-based workbooks sold through DTC and retail, with similar product breadth and price points.
• Evan-Moor Educational Publishers: Publisher of supplemental educational materials including workbooks, teacher resources, and early-learning titles for grades PreK-6. Comparable in targeting parents and teachers with curriculum-aligned supplemental content, with stronger US classroom adoption but similar subject coverage to Popular Book Company.

Broad incumbents

• Pearson Education: Global education incumbent offering textbooks, assessments, and digital learning platforms across K-12 and higher education. Overlaps with Popular Book Company in curriculum-aligned educational content but operates at much greater scale with digital-first delivery and broader portfolio.
• McGraw-Hill Education: Major US-based educational publisher producing textbooks, workbooks, and adaptive learning tools across K-12 and higher education. Broadly comparable in publishing supplemental K-12 learning materials but with significantly larger scale and stronger institutional sales infrastructure.
• Highlights for Children: Long-running US children's media brand producing activity books, workbooks, magazines, and learning products for kids. Comparable in producing engaging educational workbooks for children and parents, with overlapping age range and category presence.

Emerging players

• Tumblehome Books: Independent publisher of STEM-focused children's books and activity materials with educational components. Partial overlap with Popular Book Company's STEM Smart and CodingSmart lines, though smaller in scale and more science/STEM-curious focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/popularbookcanada
• TikToktiktok.com/@popularbookcanada
• Facebookfacebook.com/PopularBookCanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/popular-book-company-canada-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Popular Book Company