As of: March 16, 2024, 9:40 a.m
By: Stefan Weinzierl
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You know him!
The Pixi advertising man, here with Lutz Nagler from the Kempter bookstore, holds a bowl in which the colorfully mixed books lie.
2000 various titles criticism of special editions © sw
The legendary Pixi books are celebrating their 70th anniversary this year.
The picture books are also in great demand in the district.
Experts explain why.
District – Square, practical, good.
This is not only the slogan of a well-known chocolate brand in this country, these characteristics also apply to an extremely successful series of picture books that is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year: the Pixi books.
The ten by ten centimeter booklets from Carlsen Verlag with 24 pages and play and craft tips on the back cover can also be found in most children's rooms in the district and are sold not only in bookstores, but also in stationery stores and even supermarkets.
But what is the recipe for success of what, according to Carlsen Verlag, is the most successful picture book series of all time with over 2,000 different titles, the first title of which, “Miezekatzen,” was published in 1954?
Barbara Stradtner-Ziegler heads the children's and youth library in the Unterschleißheim city library.
She describes Pixi books as the ideal present or reward for children: “They are often high-quality stories in small books.
And the price-performance ratio is also right.” Of course, not all Pixis are of the same high quality, but there are many of the booklets with challenging stories and even non-fiction books.
Stories to hold in your hand
Nevertheless, Stradtner-Ziegler does not have Pixi books in their original format in their library.
“They’re just too cheap and too small,” she says.
However, you can borrow several collections of Pixi stories from Carlsen Verlag.
“They are a size suitable for a library.” The collections are also very popular with young readers.
“As far as the loan numbers are concerned, they are in the upper range,” says Stradtner-Ziegler.
There are also no Pixi books in the Oberhaching community library.
“The extremely small format is simply not suitable for renting.
“You can lose them so quickly,” explains library manager Petra Walbrunn.
She still remembers the little books from her childhood.
“The nice thing for small children is that they can easily hold the books in their hands.”
“Really great topics”
The small picture books are extremely important for bookstores.
At least that's what Lutz Nagler from the Kempter bookstore with branches in Oberhaching, Ottobrunn and Deisenhofen thinks.
The children would literally pounce on the boom - a Pixi advertising man about 1.20 meters tall who was holding a bowl in which the little books were mixed up in a colorful mix.
“They sell so well because they are often added as a little extra,” explains the expert.
After all, they only cost 99 cents.
The picture books are also handy and some have “really great topics,” says Kempter.
Other publishers would now try to imitate the concept.
“But Pixi is simply a brand that people know.
This is relatively rare in bookstores.” The books, says Nagler, are primarily for preschool children: “The children themselves can look at the pictures and the parents can read the stories.”
At the Ebensperger stationery store in Unterhaching, adults in particular come to buy the little books for their children or grandchildren.
“Pixi books are still a hit,” says owner Monika Schömer.
The short stories for little money are simply the ideal gift for a wide variety of occasions: “There are Pixi books especially for Christmas, spring or Easter, collection boxes on various topics, even an Advent calendar,” says Schömer.
There are also Pixi book series that are particularly popular with children, such as Conni or Leo Lausemaus.
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Criticism of special editions
Despite all the success: Carlsen Verlag's practice regarding its Pixi books is attracting criticism.
The company offers associations, organizations and companies to publish special editions of the booklets.
In the Pixi book “Paul Penguin is on Vacation”, the company Eucerin promotes the use of sunscreen, and in the Pixi book “But why?!” the responsible federal authority tries to educate primary school students about data protection and freedom of information.
The more or less hidden advertising messages for children in these special editions are controversial - even if these books are marked accordingly and are not available for purchase in stores, but are published free of charge by the respective clients.
Further news from the Munich district can be found here.