The fantastic success of holiday exercise books | France 2 | Envoyé Spécial

The holiday exercise book is the summer’s bestseller. More than 3 million copies are sold every year. That’s more than a literary prizewinner, more than a food guide. It’s a new manna from heaven for some publishers, who in just two months?from June 15 to August 15?make more than 49% of their turnover. It all began in the 30s with Loulou and Babette’s exercise books. Roger Magnard, who was then a stationery sales rep, dreamed up the concept of the holiday exercise book by featuring his own children. In 2009, in order to win fresh market share, the major publishing houses are investing in new slots: holiday exercise books for the very young?2 and up?holiday exercise books for adults, e-exercise books via Internet subscription and even via video game consoles. It’s a purely French affair: nowhere else in the world do holiday exercise books enjoy such success. So why is there such an appetite? How are they produced, by whom? Why do parents buy them? And finally, do these exercise workbooks have any educational point or are they merely a product of marketing? An investigation into a fantastic publishing success.