October 2011
Developing
French
collections
Introduction
Developing a French collection can be challenging for an institution, library or
school. The distance from the resources and the language barrier may add to
the difficulty !
A better understanding of the components of the French book industry in
Québec and Canada seemed an essential first step to facilitate the process of
collecting French material.
This session gives us the opportunity to present an overview of the actual
picture of the industry and its main actors, to point out the interesting ones
and to offer guidelines, based on our experience, that we hope, will help
librarians in selecting French material.
2
3
The workflow
Publishers
Libraries
Bookstores
Distributors
4
The French book business
AVERAGE MONTHLY OFFER - FRENCH BOOKS
PUBLIC
New releases French books for Adults
New releases French books for children
TOTAL
EUROPE(85%)
CANADA (15%)
2200
450
1870
383
330
68
DISTRIBUTORS
NAME
SOCADIS
PROLOGUE
SHARE
25%
15%
DIMÉDIA
15%
MESSAGERIES ADP
20%
DIFFUSION DU LIVRE MIRABEL
10%
TOTAL
85%
The selection process : tools/resources
Librarians
Bookstores
showrooms
Libraries
5
5
The selection process : tools/resources
ONLINE (VIRTUAL) SHOWROOMS
ONLINE RESOURCES
CHILDREN
DESCRIPTION
WEBSITE
Lurelu magazine, Section Coups de cœur
Librarians and booksellers
http://www.lurelu.net
Communication Jeunesse, Annual selection
Librarians and booksellers
http://www.communication-jeunesse.qc.ca/
Archambault bookstore Top sellers list
General public
http://www.archambault.ca/top-livres-jeunesse-cat40155-fr-ct
Renaud-Bray bookstore Palmarès
General public
http://www.renaud-bray.com/PalmaresJeuneRomans.aspx
FNAC, Section Meilleures ventes Jeunesse
Europe - France
http://livre.fnac.com/s19/Livre-Jeunesse
ONLINE RESOURCES
ADULTS
Cyberpresse, Section Livres
DESCRIPTION
Journalists
WEBSITE
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/arts/livres/
FNAC, Section Meilleures ventes
Europe - France
http://livre.fnac.com/s20/Roman-et-Nouvelles
Archambault bookstore Top sellers list
General public
http://www.archambault.ca/top-livres-francais-cat40151-fr-ct
Renaud-Bray bookstore Palmarès
General public
http://www.renaud-bray.com/PalmaresPrincipal.aspx
6
The final selection
AVERAGE NUMBER OF TITLES SELECTED
LIBRARY
% ADULTS
% CHILDREN
ADULTS
CHILDREN
ADULTS
EUROPEAN
60%
ADULTS
CANADA 40%
CHILDREN
EUROPEAN 40%
CHILDREN
CANADA 60%
Montréal
35-38
40-42
792
185
475
317
74
111
Québec
35-38
40-42
836
189
502
334
76
113
Laval
35-38
40-42
814
180
488
326
72
108
LongueuilBrossard
25-30
30-35
550
149
330
220
59
89
Gatineau
20-25
30-35
462
140
277
185
56
84
Ottawa
15-20
25-30
330
117
132
198
47
70
Budget limitations ?
Space limitations ?
Material not suitable for patrons?
All of the above ?
7
Suppliers of the selected material
MAJOR DISTRIBUTORS
DISTRIBUTORS
SOCADIS
HURTUBISE HMH
PROLOGUE
BAYARD/NOVALIS
DIMÉDIA
ÉDIPRESSE
MESSAGERIES ADP
ULYSSE
DIFFUSION DU LIVRE MIRABEL
SOMABEC
8
Differences between French books published in
France VS Canada
IN GENERAL
EUROPE (FRANCE)
CANADA (QUÉBEC)
Established publishers
Young industry
Size of the population
Limited clientele
Quality of language is…
Quality of language is improving
ADULTS
EUROPE (FRANCE)
CANADA (QUÉBEC)
Fiction and Non fiction
Fiction and Non fiction
N-fiction => More translations
Mostly original French
Wide variety of subjects
Limited subjects
CHILDREN
EUROPE (FRANCE)
CANADA (QUÉBEC)
Fiction and Non fiction
Mostly Fiction
More translations (F & N-F)
Mostly original French (F)
Wide variety of subjects
N/A or some translations
Collecting for native French speakers VS French
immersion
CHILDREN
Fiction
Preferably documents published in Canada
Language similar to other resources (TV, Internet)
Level of language is closer to day to day French
Significant efforts by publishers to improve the quality of language
Select documents with 1 year below recommended age group
Publishers try to match school programs
Reading skills on native French speakers are fairly poor
Difference between native French speakers and immersion is thinning...
Non Fiction
Since the selection of original documents is poor => European publishers
Often translations from English (D&K)
French publishers also have to face the level of language issue
9
Collecting for native French speakers VS French
immersion
ADULTS
Fiction
Preferably documents published in Canada
Established authors (Laberge, Brouillet, Laferrière…)
Accessible (Ex: Top sellers in bookstores…)
Good language level (distribution in Europe)
Original French can be risky…
Translations from many languages are good alternatives
If pocket book size is accepted => Interesting series : romance, detective novels…
Bilingual series available (Livre de poche and Presse Pocket)
Non Fiction
French Canadian publishers have a more limited selection
Interesting subjects : Cooking, Popular psychology, Gardening, Animal life, How to books…
10
11
Series by distributors/publishers 1
DISTRBUTORS
SOCADIS
MAJOR PUBLISHERS
Gallimard
MAJOR SERIES
Folio Junior
Folio Cadet
Primarily European
publishers
Flammarion
Castor poche
Castor Benjamin
Tribal
Castor Doc
Casterman
Romans Junior
Romans Classiques
Romans Cadet
Romans Benjamin
Groupe Hachette
Hachette Jeunesse
Bibliothèque Rose et Verte
Livre de poche jeunesse
Larousse
Petits classiques Larousse
12
Descriptions of series 1
NAME OF THE SERIES
DESCRIPTION
PUBLIC
Folio Junior
Pocket size books for readers aged 8 to 16. The name of the series refers to the collection's flagship
publishing house: Folio. Some titles are "very French"…
8+
Folio Cadet
By talented and established authors and illustrated by actual artists. The books escort the young reader
in the process of learning to read.
8+
Castor poche
Novels for pre-teens. Very French approach.
10 +
Castor Benjamin
From age 6. 32 to 48 pages with some illustrations.
6+
Tribal
Created specifically for teenagers. All chosen for the narrative force and originality of the text.
12 +
Castor Doc
Non-fiction (Very French). Interesting subjects.
10 +
Romans Junior
From age 10. Mystery, humor, adventure, science fiction …
10 +
Romans Classiques
Classics revisited. From age 10.
10 +
Romans Cadet
First novels to be read like "real books", from age 8. To laugh and to wander, to get a better
understanding of oneself. Supported by illustrations.
8+
Romans Benjamin
For beginners, short stories and lively, full-colored illustrations. From age 6.
6+
Bibliothèque Rose et Verte
Very French texts. Reprints of classics like Comtesse de Ségur.
8+
Livre de poche jeunesse
Classics of French literature
8+
Petits classiques Larousse
Reprints of classics of French literature for children.
8+
13
Series by distributors/publishers 2
DISTRBUTORS
PROLOGUE
Primarily French canadian
publishers
MAJOR PUBLISHERS
Québec-Amérique
Fou Lire
Les Intouchables
Vents d'Ouest
Éditions Imagine
MAJOR SERIES
Bilbo
Mini-Bilbo
Gulliver
Titan, Titan +
Galoche
Chat-Ô en folie
Les aventures de Marie-P
Les histoires de Zak et Zoé
Série Les Affreux
Série Aurélie Laflamme
Série Amos Daragon
Léonis
Girouette
Vive le vent
Azimuts
Ado
Mes premières histoires
Les contes classiques
Les imaginaires
14
Description of series 2
NAME OF THE SERIES
Bilbo
Mini-Bilbo
Gulliver
Titan, Titan +
Galoche
Chat-Ô en folie
Les aventures de Marie-P
Les histoires de Zak et Zoé
Série Les Affreux
Série Aurélie Laflamme
Série Amos Daragon
Série Léonis
Collection Girouette
Collection Vive le vent
Collection Azimuts
Collection Ado
Mes premières histoires
Les contes classiques
Les imaginaires
DESCRIPTION
PUBLIC
Novels for beginners.
For beginners. With illustrations.
For good readers.
Excellent series for teens.
Fantastic adventures of a dog named Galoche
Le chat Coquin raconte la vie au pays du Royaume d'En-Bas. Beaucoup de plaisir! The cat Coquin tells the
life in the imaginary country of Kingdom of the Netherlands. Lots of fun!
Marie-P plays detective. Investigations and intrigues are waiting for you.
Zak and Zoé are really sports maniacs. For each novel, a different sport.
Six characters, beautiful and ugly, hard and soft. Sometimes cheeky, a bit disorganized, they form a
colorful, touching and terribly endearing family.
8+
6+
8+
12 +
8+
6+
Series created by India Desjardins. Adventures of a teenage girl. Big hit in Québec !
Medieval fantasy adventure books created by Bryan Perro.
Léonis is a serie of Fantasy novel for teens. The action takes place in mysterious Egypt.
Adventure stories, day to day drama, science fiction and fantasy !
A good initiation to reading for beginners.
Roman psychologique ou d'introspection, historique ou d'anticipation, policier ou social. Psychological or
introspective novels, historical or anticipation novels, suspence or social works…For good readers
Drama, adventure, love, humor.
Livres conçus pour découvrir très tôt le bonheur de se faire raconter des histoires. Books created and
designed to discover at an early age, the pleasure of having someone reading us stories.
Texts to be read aloud. Classics revisited. Established illustrators.
First readings. Dynamic illustrations. Fast paced text.
12 +
10 +
10 +
10 +
6+
12 +
6+
8+
8+
12 +
3+
6+
6+
15
Series by distributors/publishers 3
DISTRBUTORS
DIMÉDIA
MAJOR PUBLISHERS
Boréal
3MAJOR SERIES
Boréal Junior
Boréal Inter
Les Carcajous
Some major French
Canadian publishers but
primarily European
publishers
Maboul
Les 400 coups
Grimace
Ma langue au chat
Super-Machins
16
Descriptions of series 3
NAME OF THE SERIES
DESCRIPTION
PUBLIC
Boréal Junior
Proposes a first approach to literature while encouraging young readers to read for their own pleasure
8+
Boréal Inter
Novels with a little more "body" for pre-teens.
12 +
Les Carcajous
A series that chronicles the adventures of a Pee-wee hockey team.
8+
Maboul
Series for beginners. Imaginative and charming mini-novels.
6+
Grimace
To be read when a child masters basic reading skills. Funny stories.
8+
Ma langue au chat
Rhymes, stories, riddles for children.
3+
Super-Machins
Mini-albums. Initiation to reading.
6+
17
Series by distributors/publishers 4
DISTRBUTORS
MESSAGERIES - ADP
MAJOR PUBLISHERS
Éditions de la Bagnole
MAJOR SERIES
Klaxon
Taxi
Gazoline
French Canadian publishers
and major European
publishers
Michel Quintin
Série La Zone
Série Les Maîtres du Pentacle
Les p'tits romans Quintin
Les Dragouilles
Dominique et compagnie
À pas de souris
Galette
À pas de loup
Rouge / Lime / Vert / Bleu / Noir
Albin Michel
Wiz
Série Téa et Géronimo Stilton
Série Camille
Série Didou
Pocket Jeunesse
Les P'tites poules
Romans Pocket Jeunesse
18
Descriptions of series 4
NAME OF THE SERIES
DESCRIPTION
PUBLIC
Klaxon
Taxi
Promotes an aspect of language: the rhymes, onomatopoeia, poetry. For preschool and primary levels.
This series gives the childern the opportunity to discover the world of writers usually read by adults.
6+
8+
Gazoline
Série La Zone
Série Les Maîtres du Pentacle
Les p'tits romans Quintin
Les Dragouilles
À pas de souris
Novels completed by a dossier on the work of the author and a literary analysis. For teens.
Adventure series for boys
Fantasy. The quest for the five pieces of a magical pentacle.
Series for beginners.
Learn to read while having fun with the "Dragouilles", seven playful little creatures.
Beginning readers as well as struggling readers. Three levels of difficulty in this series
12 +
8+
8+
6+
6+
6+
Galette
À pas de loup
Introduction to reading. Promotes interaction between children and adults.
Picture books for children learning to read. 4 levels of reading in this series
3+
6+
Rouge / Lime / Vert
Three categories of documents with increasing complexity. The novels are able to assist young people for
quite a while in their discovery of the joy of reading.
6+
Wiz
Série Téa et Géronimo Stilton
Series divided in 4 "sub-series" (Girl, Fantasy, Fiction, Bliss). For teens.
Geronimo Stilton is the president of the magazine Echo of the rodent. Téa is Geronimo's younger sister
and special reporter for the Echo of the rodent. Adventures, intrigues.
12 +
8+
Série Camille
Camille est une girafe attachante qui vit des aventures de tous les jours avec beaucoup d'amour. Texte
court, souvent très vivant, adapté aux enfants de 3 ans. Camille is a giraffe living endearing everyday
adventures. Short lively text, recommended for children age 3.
Destinée à un public préscolaire et dédiée principalement à l'apprentissage du dessin. Series aimed at
preschool children and mainly dedicated to help learning drawing basic skills.
Series that tells the adventures happening in a barn, with lots of humor.
Series for teens. A different topic in each volume.
3+
Série Didou
Les P'tites poules
Romans Pocket Jeunesse
3+
8+
12 +
19
Series by distributors/publishers 5
DISTRBUTORS
DIFFUSION DU LIVRE MIRABEL
Specialized in Quebec
literature for children and
most of the major European
publishers of graphic novels
and comics
MAJOR PUBLISHERS
Courte échelle
MAJOR SERIES
Première Lecture (niveaux 1 à 3)
Premier roman
Roman Jeunesse
Série Épizzod
Hors Collection
Soulières
Ma petite vache a mal aux pattes
Chat de gouttière
Graffiti
Calligram
Série Max et Lili
Pierre Tisseyre
Sésame
Conquêtes
Papillon
Chacal
Boomerang
Série Secrets du divan rose
Série Passepeur
Au cœur des différences
M'as-tu lu?
Biblio Romance
20
Descriptions of series 5
NAME OF THE SERIES
DESCRIPTION
PUBLIC
Première Lecture (niveaux 1 à 3) This series is perfect for getting young people to "first reading" level. Real books that offer fascinating
stories of all kinds.
Premier roman
A voyage in the world of imagination, important themes such as courage, determination, friendship and
hope. An invitation to read that will satisfy the dreamers…
Roman Jeunesse
This series offers young readers novels that will transport them into the original and humorous adventures
6+
Série Épizzod
12 +
EPIZZOD is a unique project in Quebec that puts the serial up to date and brings together established and
upcoming writers. This series offers fast paced stories, illustrated like comic books or graphic novels.
Hors Collection
Avid readers of gripping stories rich in emotions will be totally satisfied by those novels written by authors
from near and far, already well known to young readers or that they will discover with pleasure. They will
feel challenged by the larger than life characters and their quest for independence, freedom and
adventure.
Ma petite vache a mal aux pattes Short stories presented in "novel format" beautifully illustrated.
Chat de gouttière
More challenging interms of size and content. Something for everyone
Graffiti
Topics for teens.
Série Max et Lili
Each volume focuses on a theme experienced by children or someone close to them and then solved ,or at
least discussed with their parents. The childish and humorous feel of those stories is a perfect approach for
somehow difficult topics
Sésame
Mimi novels. Shorts chapters. Highly recommended for immersion programs
Conquêtes
Wide variety of novels. Often studied in high school.
Papillon
Recommended for immersion programs. The numbers of butterflies on the cover indicates the difficulty
level.
Chacal
For fantasy, science-fiction and horror fans. For good readers.
Série Secrets du divan rose
Teenage topics for girls. Day to day stories. Very "Barbie" (!)
Série Passepeur
"You are the hero" type of book, with multiple choices in the course of the story.
Au cœur des différences
Short stories. These books allow teachers to educate children about the richness of differences.
M'as-tu lu?
Includes a glossary for difficult words and two quiz related to the text.
Biblio Romance
Romantic novels for girls.
8+
8+
12 +
6+
8+
12 +
8+
6+
12 +
8+
12 +
12 +
8+
6+
6+
8+
21
Series by distributors/publishers 6
DISTRBUTORS
BAYARD / NOVALIS
Distributor of
Bayard/France and
Bayard/Québec
MAJOR PUBLISHERS
Milan
Bayard - France
Bayard - Québec
DISTRBUTORS
HURTUBISE HMH
Distributor of Didier and
Hurtubise
MAJOR SERIES
Milan Poche Benjamin
Milan Poche Cadet
Macadam
Milan Poche Junior
La Cabane Magique
J'aime lire
Millézime
Cheval masqué
Le raton laveur
Les Débrouillards
Petit monde vivant
MAJOR PUBLISHERS
Hurtubise
MAJOR SERIES
Atout
Caméléon Bleu
Caméléon Vert
Bescherelle
22
Descriptions of series 6
NAME OF THE SERIES
Milan Poche Benjamin
Milan Poche Cadet
Macadam
Milan Poche Junior
La Cabane Magique
J'aime lire
Millézime
Cheval masqué
Le raton laveur
Les Débrouillards
Petit monde vivant
Atout
DESCRIPTION
PUBLIC
To help the child evolve from reading with a parent, to reading almost independantly.
Funny and moving stories
A series fro teens. Texts to escape, think and dream.
A series that prioritized the text with adventure stories, science fiction stories as well as more
introspective tales.
Series of novels inspired by the Arthurian legends and the stories of Tom and Leah, two children found it
a cabin full of books.
Short stories. Riddles. Charades. Short graphic novels
This series proposes a wide variety of literary genres and is aimed at readers from 12. Large novels to
really plunge into literature.
This series has the purpose to be the bridge between reading with an adult and the first steps of reading
alone...3 levels of reading: Au pas, Au trot, Au galop.
Albums to read and looked at... Introduction to reading
Non fiction for science buffs.
Non fiction documents on animal life and nature
Novels in all literary genres. Love stories or history, science fiction or chilling fantasy stories, detective
stories, readers from 12 and over are certain to find their fill of thrills.
6+
8+
12 +
12 +
6+
8+
12 +
6+
3+
12 +
8+
12 +
Caméléon Bleu
Hilarious stories, full of twists and mysterious investigations in an absurd universe.
10 to 12
Caméléon Vert
Hilarious stories, full of twists and mysterious investigations in an absurd universe.(Illustrated)
8 to 10
Bescherelle
L'art de conjuguer. THE reference for conjugation of verbs
6+
23
For Adults
DISTRBUTORS
SOCADIS
MAJOR PUBLISHERS
Flammarion
PUBLISHERS OR SERIES
Casterman
Le Dilettante
La Presse
Flammarion Québec
Autrement
Primarily European
publishers
Fidès
Bibliothèque québécoise
Éditions Fidès
Gallimard
Éditions Gallimard
Les Allusifs
Hachette
Delcourt
Éditions Hachette
Marchand de feuilles
Livre de poche
Leméac
Actes Sud
Éditions Leméac
24
For Adults
DISTRBUTORS
PROLOGUE
MAJOR PUBLISHERS
Presses Universitaires
MAJOR SERIES
Presses de l'Université d'Ottawa
Presses de l'Université du Québec
Presses du l'Université Laval
Regroupement éditeurs canadiensfrançais
Éditions du Blé
Éditions des Plaines
Primarily French Canadian
publishers
Bouton d'or Acadie
Éditions Prise de parole
Québec-Amérique
Éditions Québec-Amérique
25
For Adults
DISTRBUTORS
DIMÉDIA
Some major French
Canadian publishers but
primarily European
publishers
MAJOR PUBLISHERS
Boréal
Éditions Boréal
Les 400 coups
Éditions 400 coups
Alto
Alto
Seuil
Seuil
DISTRBUTORS
MESSAGERIES - ADP
MAJOR SERIES
MAJOR PUBLISHERS
MAJOR SERIES
Albin Michel
Éditions Albin Michel
Groupe Librex
Éditions Libre Expression
Trécarré
Stanké
De l'Homme
Éditions de l'Homme
Groupe Ville-Marie
VLB Éditeur
Typo
L'Hexagone
Éditions de la Bagnole
Alire
Éditions Alire
French Canadian publishers
and major European
publishers
26
For Adults
DISTRBUTORS
DIFFUSION DU LIVRE MIRABEL
Specialized in Quebec
literature for children and
most of the major European
publishers of graphic novels
and comics
MAJOR PUBLISHERS
Courte Échelle
Diffusion de Bandes dessinées
Pierre Tisseyre
DISTRBUTORS
BAYARD / NOVALIS
Distributor of
Bayard/France and
Bayard/Québec
DISTRBUTORS
Hurtubise / HMH
Distributor of Didier and
Hurtubise
MAJOR SERIES
Éditions Courte Échelle
Dupuis
Lombard
Dargaud
Éditions Pierre Tisseyre
MAJOR PUBLISHERS
Bayard
Novalis
MAJOR SERIES
Éditions Bayard
Éditions Novalis
MAJOR PUBLISHERS
Hurtubise
Hatier
MAJOR SERIES
Éditions Hurtubise
Éditions Hatier