Comme des géants
Comme des géants is an independent French-language children's book publisher based in Varennes, Quebec, publishing illustrated picture books, comics, and select genre titles for children ages 0-12, distributed through direct sales, Canadian bookstores, and 50+ international licensing partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersVarennes, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Comme des géants does
Comme des géants is an independent French-language children's book publisher headquartered in Varennes, Quebec, Canada, founded in 2013 (incorporated 2014). The company publishes illustrated picture books, bande dessinée (comics), imagiers, wordless picture books, and select science fiction/fantasy titles aimed at children ages 0-12, with a catalog spanning the 2014-2020 and 2021-2026 catalog periods. Its operations are structured around three imprints: the core Comme des géants brand, the Milky Way Picture Books English-language imprint for USA/Canada distribution, and Le Lièvre de Mars for science fiction and fantasy titles.
The publisher generates revenue through three channels: direct-to-consumer sales via its website (commedesgeants.com), wholesale distribution through Canadian bookstore chains such as Les Libraires, and international licensing/co-edition agreements with more than 50 foreign publishers across North America, Europe, Asia, and South America. Individual titles retail at $18-$39 CAD, with select titles also available as digital ePub editions. The business model is traditional and asset-light, with no proprietary technology stack; the company's value is concentrated in editorial curation, relationships with named authors and illustrators, and its award-winning literary catalog.
Comme des géants serves three primary customer segments: families with young children (the primary segment), educational institutions and libraries purchasing children's literature, and foreign publishers licensing translation rights. The company is founder-owned by Nadine Robert (President), employs 1-10 people, and supplements revenue with public grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and SODEC. Its catalog has won multiple prestigious awards, including the Governor General's Literary Award (2022), multiple Prix des libraires du Québec laureates, IBBY Honor List selections, and recognition at the Bologna Children's Book Fair.
Comme des géants firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Comme des géants
- Legal name
- Comme des géants
- Website
- https://commedesgeants.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Comme des géants is an independent French-language children's book publisher based in Varennes, Quebec, publishing illustrated picture books, comics, and select genre titles for children ages 0-12, distributed through direct sales, Canadian bookstores, and 50+ international licensing partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Comme des géants industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Picture Book Publishing (MPAJAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Children’s Comics, Graphic Novels & Manga Publishing (MPAJAFAH), Early Readers & Chapter Books Publishing (MPAJAFAB)
Keywords
Where Comme des géants is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Varennes
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Comme des géants business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Book sales: Revenue generated from selling published children's books through direct website sales, bookstore distribution, and online retailers. Individual picture books priced between $18-39 CAD per unit.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Individual picture books - hardcover format |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Digital ePub versions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Comme des géants product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Comme des géants publishes and distributes original French-language children's literature, including illustrated picture albums, comics (bande dessinée), wordless picture books, and documentaries for children ages 0–12. Titles are sold directly through the publisher's website and the Canadian bookstore network (Les Libraires), and licensed internationally as co-editions for translation into multiple languages. Print hardcover and digital ePub editions are offered.
Product overview
Comme des géants operates as a unified children's literature publishing house with three distinct imprints: the core Comme des géants brand (specializing in illustrated albums, bande dessinée comics, and wordless picture books), Milky Way Picture Books (English-language distribution imprint), and Le Lièvre de Mars (science fiction/fantasy sub-brand). The catalog spans multiple series and standalone titles across various age groups, with works translated into numerous international markets. The publisher serves the Canadian and international markets through both print and digital (ePub) formats.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Milky Way Picture Books: An imprint/brand of Comme des géants for English-language co-editions, primarily for USA/Canada market distribution.
- Le Lièvre de Mars
Products and services
- Comme des géants (core imprint: illustrated albums, bande dessinée, wordless picture books, documentaries) Core children's literature publishing imprint specializing in French-language illustrated albums, comics (bande dessinée), wordless picture books, and documentaries for children ages 0-12. Titles available in print hardcover and digital ePub formats.
- Milky Way Picture Books (English-language imprint) English-language imprint of Comme des géants publishing house, distributing French-Canadian children's literature titles to English-speaking markets (USA/Canada) including titles such as Le géant géant, On ferait comme si, Je voudrais te dire, Mon chien et moi, and L'école de dessin de Petit Pois.
- Le Lièvre de Mars (science fiction and fantasy imprint) Sub-imprint of Comme des géants specializing in science fiction and fantasy literature for young readers, operated as a catalog line within the publisher.
- Foreign rights and co-edition licensing Licensing of translation and co-publication rights for Comme des géants titles to foreign publishers across 15+ countries and multiple languages (English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, German, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Catalan, Thai, Vietnamese, Croatian, Polish, Turkish, Ukrainian). Partner publishers include Groundwood Books, Holiday House, Tundra Books, Bayard, Actes Sud, Saltimbanque, Cambourakis, and others.
Companies that use Comme des géants
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Comme des géants technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Comme des géants partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
98 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Groundwood BookscoreEnglish (USA/Canada) distribution partner for titles such as Pauline, une petite place pour moi and Anthony et la gargouille
- Les ApprimeurscoreFrench (France) distribution for Pauline series including Pauline, une petite place pour moi and Pauline et le Zipoclic
- Beijing GaoGaominorChinese (simplified) distribution for Le grand livre des petits trésors
- Ediciones SiruelaminorSpanish distribution for Le grand livre des petits trésors
- GinkgominorChinese (simplified) distribution for Le petit livre pour les géants
- Holiday HousecoreOriginal English language publisher for Le petit robot de bois et la princesse-bûchette by Tom Gauld
- Éditions les Fourmis rougescoreOriginal French (France) publisher for Une drôle de bête by Martine Laffon
- Boycott BooksminorDutch distribution for Moustique répond toujours présent
- SamokatminorRussian distribution for Moustique répond toujours présent
- Poodle PressminorEnglish (China) distribution for L'école de dessin de Petit Pois
- Milky Way Picture BookscoreEnglish (USA/Canada) distribution for L'école de dessin de Petit Pois; also a publisher brand under Comme des géants
- San Min BookminorChinese (complex) distribution for L'école de dessin de Petit Pois
- CITIC PressminorChinese (simplified) distribution for L'école de dessin de Petit Pois
- Jinsun PublishingminorKorean distribution for L'école de dessin de Petit Pois
- Actes Sud juniorcoreFrench (France) distribution for L'école de dessin de Petit Pois
- Kim DongminorVietnamese (pocket) distribution for L'école de dessin de Petit Pois
- Mairisch VerlagminorGerman distribution for Peter, le chat debout
- Rye FieldminorChinese (complex) distribution for Peter, le chat debout
- Ediciones del PirataminorSpanish (world) distribution for Peter, le chat debout
- Little UrbancoreFrench (world) distribution for Peter, le chat debout
- Edizioni LapisminorItalian distribution for Peter, le chat debout
- Rabén & SjögrenminorSwedish distribution for Peter, le chat debout
- Poodle Doodle PressminorEnglish (China) distribution for Petit Pois
- Actes Sud jeunessecoreFrench (pocket) distribution for Petit Pois
- Il CastorominorItalian distribution for Petit Pois
- Asunaro ShobominorJapanese distribution for Petit Pois
- BadugaminorPortuguese distribution for Petit Pois
- NanmeebooksminorThai distribution for Petit Pois
- BooknbeanminorKorean distribution for Les chasseurs d'arcs-en-ciel
- PalomitaminorFrench (monde) distribution for Les chasseurs d'arcs-en-ciel
- ClichyminorItalian distribution for Les chasseurs d'arcs-en-ciel
- Ginkgo BookminorChinese (simplified) distribution for Trèfle
- Yeren PublishingminorChinese (complex) distribution for Trèfle
- LizardbookminorKorean distribution for Trèfle
- CorimbominorSpanish and Catalan distribution for Trèfle
- SaltimbanquecoreFrench (monde) distribution for Trèfle; also original publisher for Le retour des loups
- Il CastorominorItalian distribution for Trèfle
- Milky Way Picture BookscoreEnglish (USA/Canada) distribution for Le géant géant
- Yuan-Liou PublishingminorEnglish (China) and Chinese (complex) distribution for Des jours comme ça
- Ginkgo BookminorChinese (simplified) distribution for Des jours comme ça
- SigongsaminorKorean distribution for Des jours comme ça
- AlburminorSpanish and Catalan distribution for Des jours comme ça
- Carlo Gallucci EditoreminorItalian distribution for Des jours comme ça
- Vakif Pazarlama SanminorTurkish distribution for Des jours comme ça
- Groundwood BookscoreOriginal English publisher for Anthony et la gargouille
- JupitermondminorGerman distribution for Te laisser partir
- Veronica EffectminorKorean distribution for Te laisser partir
- SaltimbanquecoreFrench distribution for Te laisser partir
- Les ApprimeurscoreFrench (monde) distribution for Pauline et le Zipoclic T.2
- JiyangsaminorKorean distribution for Le treizième cochonnet
- L'AgrûmecoreOriginal French publisher for Le grain de sable
- Milky Way Picture BookscoreEnglish (US/Canada) distribution for On ferait comme si
- Gimm-YoungminorKorean distribution for On ferait comme si
- AlburminorSpanish + Catalan distribution for On ferait comme si
- Grasset JeunessecoreFrench (monde) distribution for On ferait comme si
- Orecchio AcerbominorItalian distribution for On ferait comme si
- ShenZhen BookinminorEnglish (China) distribution for Mimose & Sam T.4
- Owlkids BookscoreEnglish (USA/Canada) distribution for Mimose & Sam T.4
- Beijing Yutian Hanfeng BooksminorChinese (simplified) distribution for Mimose & Sam T.4
- Borim PressminorKorean distribution for Mimose & Sam T.4
- BindibooksminorSpanish + Catalan (Europe) distribution for Mimose & Sam T.4
- BayardcoreFrench (monde) distribution for Mimose & Sam T.4
- 2020EditoraminorPortuguese (except Brazil) distribution for Mimose & Sam T.4
- PopuriminorRussian distribution for Mimose & Sam T.4
- Kim DongminorVietnamese distribution for Mimose & Sam T.4
- Tundra BookscoreOriginal English publisher for L'enfant et la montagne
- Flammarion jeunessecoreFrench (monde) distribution for Le chat, la chouette et le poisson frais
- Verlagshaus Jacoby & StuartminorGerman distribution for Je voudrais te dire
- Milky Way Picture BookscoreEnglish (USA/Canada) distribution for Je voudrais te dire
- Babel GroupminorChinese (complex, outside China) distribution for Je voudrais te dire
- Ginkgo BookminorChinese (simplified) distribution for Je voudrais te dire
- Wisdom HouseminorKorean distribution for Je voudrais te dire
- TramuntanaminorSpanish + Catalan distribution for Je voudrais te dire
- SaltimbanquecoreFrench distribution for Je voudrais te dire
- E.D.TminorItalian distribution for Je voudrais te dire
- Hyoronsha PublishingminorJapanese distribution for Je voudrais te dire
- Standaart UitgeverijminorDutch distribution for Je voudrais te dire
- VR EditoraminorPortuguese distribution for Je voudrais te dire
- Borim PressminorKorean distribution for Le bonnet magique
- FlamboyantminorSpanish + Catalan distribution for Le bonnet magique
- CambourakiscoreFrench distribution for Le bonnet magique
- SaltimbanquecoreOriginal publisher for Le retour des loups
- The Old Lion Publishing House (Видавництво Старого Лева)coreOriginal Ukrainian publisher for Le papillon jaune
- DongsimminorKorean distribution for La déménagerie
- EccomiminorSpanish (and Catalan) distribution for La déménagerie
- PalomitaminorFrench distribution for La déménagerie
- Malik PashaevminorRussian distribution for La déménagerie
- Milky Way Picture BookscoreEnglish (Canada/US) distribution for Mon chien et moi
- Abula PressminorChinese (complex) distribution for Mon chien et moi
- Ibis grafikaminorCroatian distribution for Mon chien et moi
- El NaranjominorSpanish (Mexico, Chile) distribution for Mon chien et moi
- CambourakiscoreFrench (monde) distribution for Mon chien et moi
- Terre di MezzominorItalian distribution for Mon chien et moi
- OveramstelminorDutch (monde) distribution for Mon chien et moi
- WidnokrągminorPolish distribution for Mon chien et moi
- LeiturinhaminorPortuguese (Brazil) distribution for Mon chien et moi
- Lemonade BooksminorRussian distribution for Mon chien et moi
- Montessori KoreaminorKorean distribution for Un jour de chance
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Comme des géants competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- École des Loisirs: Major French children's book publisher with a vast picture book and early-reader catalog. Significantly larger than Comme des géants but operating in the same French-language illustrated children's book category and frequently a competing rights buyer at international book fairs.
- Bayard Éditions: Large French children's and youth publisher with strong picture book and educational titles; Comme des géants' co-edition partner for Mimose & Sam. Comparable in product category though far larger, with overlapping retail and library distribution.
- Gallimard Jeunesse: Major French children's imprint of Gallimard with a comprehensive picture book, early reader, and YA catalog. Operates at much greater scale than Comme des géants but in the same illustrated French children's publishing space, and a frequent benchmark for retail positioning and award cycles.
- Tundra Books: Canadian children's book imprint (Penguin Random House Canada) focused on picture books and illustrated titles. Comparable product mix and Canadian market presence to Comme des géants, though operating as part of a global publishing group rather than as an independent.
- Scholastic: Global children's publishing incumbent covering picture books, chapter books, and educational literature. While scale and breadth far exceed Comme des géants, Scholastic defines the competitive ceiling for international children's publishers and serves as the dominant English-language counterpart for premium illustrated children's titles.
- Actes Sud Junior: Imprint of Éditions Actes Sud dedicated to children's literature including picture books and illustrated albums. Larger but directly overlapping in product category and serves as a co-edition partner to Comme des géants — a useful peer for rights and pricing benchmarks.
Direct peers
- Les Éditions de l'Isatis: Quebec-based independent children's book publisher focused on illustrated picture books and albums for young readers. Closely matches Comme des géants in geography (Quebec), catalog focus (children's picture books), and independent publishing scale.
- Les éditions de la Pastèque: Montreal-based independent children's book and graphic novel publisher with a similar bilingual catalog and emphasis on illustrated children's literature. Directly comparable in scale, language origin (French-Canadian), and target audience (children/family) to Comme des géants.
- Groundwood Books: Toronto-based independent children's publisher (House of Anansi Press imprint) known for illustrated picture books and literary children's fiction. Direct peer given Groundwood's role as Comme des géants' English co-edition partner and matching literary-quality positioning.
- Saltimbanque: French children's publisher specializing in illustrated albums and picture books; Comme des géants already partners with Saltimbanque as a co-edition partner for titles like Trèfle and Je voudrais te dire. Directly comparable product mix and target market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Comme des géants social profiles
Digital presenceComme des géants financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Comme des géants leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Comme des géants funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Comme des géants M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Comme des géants
What does Comme des géants do?
Comme des géants publishes and distributes original French-language children's literature, including illustrated picture albums, comics (bande dessinée), wordless picture books, and documentaries for children ages 0–12. Titles are sold directly through the publisher's website and the Canadian bookstore network (Les Libraires), and licensed internationally as co-editions for translation into multiple languages. Print hardcover and digital ePub editions are offered.
Is Comme des géants a public or private company?
Comme des géants is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Comme des géants founded?
Comme des géants was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Comme des géants based?
Comme des géants is headquartered in Varennes, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Comme des géants make money?
One revenue line is on record: book sales.
Who are Comme des géants's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are École des Loisirs, Bayard Éditions, Gallimard Jeunesse, Tundra Books, Scholastic and Actes Sud Junior. Direct peers are Les Éditions de l'Isatis, Les éditions de la Pastèque, Groundwood Books and Saltimbanque.
Does Comme des géants have an API?
No public API is recorded for Comme des géants.
What industry is Comme des géants in?
Comme des géants's product category is Children's Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAFAA, Picture Book Publishing, with a secondary code of MPAJAFAH, Children’s Comics, Graphic Novels & Manga Publishing. Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.