What Rabén & Sjögren does

Rabén & Sjögren is a Swedish children's and young adult book publisher operating as an imprint within Norstedts Förlagsgrupp AB, a Stockholm-based publishing group ultimately owned by Storytel AB. The publisher produces picture books, chapter books, middle-grade fiction, and young adult novels targeted at Swedish readers from infancy through approximately 18 years of age. Its catalog is anchored by legacy Nordic intellectual property — Pippi Långstrump (originally Astrid Lindgren, with new editions featuring Ingrid Vang Nyman's classic illustrations), Mamma Mu & Kråkan (a 26-book series by Jujja and Tomas Wieslander, illustrated by Sven Nordqvist, originating from Swedish children's radio in 1985 and launched as picture books in 1993), and Alfons Åberg (a ~40-book series by Gunilla Bergströmb, translated into nearly 40 languages) — alongside contemporary series such as Skoldeckarna and Mysteriekanalen and debut novels targeting teens.

The business operates a traditional publishing model. Revenue is generated through physical and digital book sales distributed across multiple channels: physical bookstores across Sweden, online retailers including Bokus and Adlibris, the Barnens Bokklubb children's book club subscription service, audiobook and e-book streaming via parent Storytel, and the publisher's own e-commerce storefront at rabensjogren.se. Pricing is set by retail channels and is not publicly disclosed by the publisher. Beyond core publishing, the company runs the Läslust reading-promotion program, which includes the Läsduellen national reading competition for fourth graders (26,868 students and 500,000 books read in its 2021 pilot), author tours covering cities from Malmö to Umeå, free educational materials for teachers and librarians, and the Läslandet social initiative in Södertälje in partnership with Läsfrämjarinstitutet. The publisher is a member of Bokbranschens Klimatinitiativ and uses FSC-certified paper in production.

The company is headquartered at Tryckerigatan 4 in central Stockholm within the shared Norstedts Förlagsgrupp premises on Riddarholmen. Firmographic headcount for the imprint is approximately 25 employees, though Norstedts Förlagsgrupp as a whole has roughly 100 employees across multiple imprints (including Norstedts, B. Wahlströms, and others), with approximately three-quarters of the workforce being women. Leadership includes Olle Lidbom as Publishing Director for R&S and Jenni Blom Castenfors as Publisher Manager; the parent group is led by CEO Claes de Faire. The board of R&S includes Storytel executives (CEO Bodil Eriksson Torp and Sweden country manager Åse Ericsson) as owner representatives, reflecting the parent's strategic oversight and the structural integration with Storytel's audiobook streaming business.

Name

Rabén & Sjögren

Legal name

Rabén & Sjögren

Website

https://rabensjogren.se

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rabén & Sjögren is a Swedish children's and young adult book publisher, operating as an imprint within Storytel-owned Norstedts Förlagsgrupp. It serves Swedish readers from infancy through young adulthood, anchored by legacy Nordic IP (Pippi Långstrump, Mamma Mu & Kråkan, Alfons Åberg) and active reading-promotion programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Picture Book Publishing (MPAJAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Children’s Subscription & Book Club Publishing (MPAJAFAO), Children’s Comics, Graphic Novels & Manga Publishing (MPAJAFAH)

Keywords

• Children's book publishing
• Young adult fiction
• Picture book publisher
• Swedish literature
• Reading promotion programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Revenue from publishing and selling physical and digital children's books through bookstores, online retailers, and direct-to-consumer channels including their own website and book clubs.
2. Audiobooks: Audiobook publishing and distribution as part of their children's literature catalog.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rabén & Sjögren is a Swedish children's and young adult book publisher that produces picture books, chapter books, middle-grade fiction, and young adult novels. The publisher owns iconic IP such as Mamma Mu & Kråkan and Alfons Åberg and licenses classics like Pippi Långstrump, distributing titles through bookstores, online retailers, its own e-commerce site, and book clubs. It also runs reading promotion programs including the Läsduellen national reading competition and provides free educational resources for schools and libraries.

Product overview

Rabén & Sjögren is a Swedish children's and young adult book publisher and part of Norstedts Förlagsgrupp. The company publishes a diverse catalog of picture books, chapter books, middle-grade fiction, and young adult novels for readers from infancy through young adulthood. Key properties include owned IP (Mamma Mu och Kråkan, Alfons Åberg) and licensed classics (Pippi Långstrump). The publisher complements its core publishing business with reading promotion programs including Den stora läsutmaningen (The Great Reading Challenge) national competition and Läslust author tours for educators. Free supplementary materials including event kits and activity sheets are offered for schools and libraries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rabén & Sjögren Agency: Literary agency division representing authors and illustrators.

Products and services

• Rabén & Sjögren Children's and Young Adult Books A Swedish children's and young adult book publisher producing picture books, chapter books, middle-grade fiction, and young adult novels. The catalog includes original Swedish titles and translated international works, sold through bookstores, online retailers, the publisher's own website, and book clubs.
• Alfons Åberg series A classic Swedish children's book series written and illustrated by Gunilla Bergström, featuring stories about an everyday boy named Alfons. The series comprises approximately 40 books and has been published in nearly 40 languages.
• Mamma Mu och Kråkan (Mamma Mu and Crow) series A beloved Swedish children's book series featuring a cow (Mamma Mu) and a crow, created by Jujja and Tomas Wieslander with illustrations by Sven Nordqvist. The series spans picture books and chapter books.
• Pippi Långstrump editions The iconic Astrid Lindgren character published by Rabén & Sjögren, including new editions and picture books featuring Ingrid Vang Nyman's classic illustrations.
• Rabén & Sjögren School & Library Resources Free educational materials for teachers and librarians including event kits, activity sheets, reading guides, and craft materials for featured book series.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500,000 books read by 26,868 fourth graders during pilot Läsduellen competition (2021)

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LäsfrämjarinstitutetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2021Long-term collaboration with Läsfrämjarinstitutet's Läslandet program in Södertälje, providing author visits and book donations to children who may not have books at home. Rabén & Sjögren and B. Wahlströms contribute book donations as part of this reading promotion initiative.
• BokuscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-partners in Läsduellen, a national reading competition for fourth graders that engaged 26,868 students and resulted in 500,000 books read in the pilot year 2021.
• AdlibrisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner in the Läsduellen reading competition alongside other major children's book publishers.
• Bokbranschens KlimatinitiativcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRabén & Sjögren is part of the Book Industry's Climate Initiative that supports the Swedish book industry in reducing its climate impact. Includes publishers, bookstores and streaming services operating in Sweden.
• Norstedts FörlagsgruppcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company and publishing group that owns Rabén & Sjögren. Located at Riddarholmen in Stockholm with approximately 100 employees across multiple publishing houses including B. Wahlströms.
• B. WahlströmsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSister publishing house under Norstedts Förlagsgrupp, collaborating on reading promotion initiatives including Läslandet and Läslust tour.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Norstedts Förlagsgrupp: R&S's sister imprint and parent group, also publishing children's books through Norstedts and B. Wahlströms imprints. While structurally part of the same group, it competes for the same Swedish children's author talent and shelf space, making it a relevant industry comparable.
• B. Wahlströms Bokförlag: Swedish children's and YA publisher, sister imprint within Norstedts Förlagsgrupp alongside R&S. Collaborates with R&S on reading promotion initiatives like Läslandet but operates as a distinct children's imprint, making it a structurally adjacent comparable.
• Storytel: Parent of Norstedts Förlagsgrupp and owner of R&S, Storytel is a Nordic audiobook and e-book streaming platform. Functions as both parent and channel partner for R&S titles in audio/digital formats, and competes more broadly for children's entertainment time.

Broad incumbents

• Scholastic: Global leader in children's book publishing and school book fairs. Comparable in audience (children K-12) and reading-promotion model, though at vastly larger scale and operating primarily in English-language markets.
• Bonniers Förlag: Sweden's largest publishing group, with a substantial children's imprint portfolio. Directly overlaps with R&S in Swedish children's fiction and picture books, but operates as a much larger generalist house with adult and reference titles as well.
• Penguin Random House Children's Books: World's largest children's book publisher with flagship series like Peppa Pig, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and licensed properties. Comparable in product mix (picture books, middle-grade, YA) and reading-promotion programs, but at global scale.

Regional players

• Cappelen Damm: Norway's largest publisher with a significant children's and YA catalog. Comparable in product mix (picture books, middle-grade, YA fiction) but operating primarily in the Norwegian market rather than Sweden, making it a regional comparable rather than direct competitor.
• Aschehoug Forlag: Major Norwegian publishing house with a dedicated children's and YA imprint. Overlaps with R&S in Scandinavian children's fiction and picture book publishing, but serves the Norwegian-language market rather than the Swedish.

Direct peers

• Lilla Piratförlaget: Stockholm-based Swedish children's and young adult book publisher, directly competing with R&S in picture books, middle-grade fiction, and YA. Comparable in scale and audience, with overlapping author/illustrator talent pool and similar retail channels.
• Hegas Förlag: Swedish publisher specializing in easy-to-read children's and young adult books, including the Lätt att läsa series. Directly competes with R&S in the school-age chapter book and early-reader segments targeted by Swedish libraries and schools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rabensjogren
• Facebookfacebook.com/rabensjogren
• Instagraminstagram.com/rabensjogren
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rab%C3%A9n-&-sj%C3%B6gren

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

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 Rabén & Sjögren