CIDEB is the brand of the eponymous publishing house founded in Bologna at the end of the 1970s, as a specialised importer and adapter of French textbooks and educational materials. After moving its headquarters to Rapallo in the 1990s, it gradually expanded its operations to English and other European languages (German and Spanish), creating a unique collection of original-language fiction for schools and a large catalogue of language certification tools. Stories created specifically for the educational market, illustrated by leading artists, have made CIDEB a school for illustrators that attracts top talents.

Following in this tradition, the Black Cat brand offers English-language fiction and school texts. The two brands have a catalogue of more than 300 titles.