Who We Are
Creating Books: Promoting the Harmonious Growth and Development of Children
Chouette Publishing was created in 1987 by Christine L’Heureux. Christine gave Chouette a very innovative mission at the time: to publish books for children ages 0 to 6. Her wish was to help them discover the pleasure of reading by offering top-quality books. Inspired by the work of French pediatric psychoanalyst Françoise Dolto, Christine L’Heureux’s intent was to publish books that would contribute to every child’s developmental journey.
Caillou: The Driving Force Behind the Evolution of Chouette
Caillou was born in 1989, as a nine-month-old toddler without a single hair on his head. The popularity of Caillou’s books for very young children in Quebec quickly put our little guy at the core of all creative activity at Chouette.
In various formats and media, Caillou has gone on to become a faithful companion for little ones as they discover of the world, their emotions, and life.
From books to TV and … to the Web
The first animated television series of Caillou, produced in Canada by Cinar in collaboration with Chouette, features our favorite little hero as a four-year-old. Still without any hair on his head, but now wearing a baseball hat, Caillou is constantly trying to understand the world around him, while growing up and having fun. This series of 144 episodes was broadcast by Teletoon in Canada, in both French and English, from 1997 to 2010. Over the years, Chouette has published many (tie-in) books featuring Caillou and his friends that were based on this animated series.
In September 2000, the American network PBS also began broadcasting the Caillou television series. Children in the US were quick to adopt our hero, who even got to keep his original name: “Kye-you!” The series became very popular with young viewers from coast to coast. Distributed in American bookstores and superstores, the English versions of Caillou books have received excellent reviews and have regularly made the top 10 bestseller lists of several major bookstore chains over the years. Over time, the television series has also been translated into many languages and broadcast worldwide. Caillou had conquered the world!
Nowadays, despite the decline of traditional broadcast television, Caillou is still very present in the lives of children thanks to the Web. The animated series has taken up residence on YouTube with the help of Canadian production company WildBrain, where versions of many episodes can easily be found in French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, and even Ukrainian. Caillou’s channels, all languages combined, have several million subscribers, and views have exceeded seven billion since 2014.
Chouette Publishing Today
Today, Chouette Publishing features over 230 Caillou titles in its catalog. These books are separated into formats and collections that are adapted to each stage of child development, from birth to elementary school. Among them:
- Baby books
- Social and emotional skills
- Vocabulary enrichment
- Reading skills development
- Activity books
- Novelty books
Well established on the Canadian market since its early days, Chouette Publishing has also held an important place on the international market for many years. Translated into more than twenty languages, the books featuring Caillou have sold over 15 million copies worldwide. The universality of the situations presented in each book and the fact that so many children identify with Caillou have made him a character that is beloved all over the world.
In 2016, Chouette Publishing created a new division that publishes books for children from 0 to 10 years old. CrackBoom! Books offers a playful way of telling stories, through unique formats designed to stimulate the imagination and curiosity of young readers: baby books, picture books, word books, audiobooks, nightlight books, puzzles, gift sets and so much more. CrackBoom! Books also publishes books from well-known brands such as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince, Sunny Bunnies, Robocar Poli, and True and the Rainbow Kingdom.
What’s Next?
After all these years, Chouette Publishing is still fueled by a strong passion for books and for children. We are still pursuing the same goal: to help children discover the pleasure of reading by giving them innovative experiences. We find new themes, explore new book formats, and release new titles each season, demonstrating our desire to keep moving forward.
Children will always come first at Chouette!