Dr. Spock Company and Pocket Books Relaunch Partnership

Posted on July 26, 2002

The Dr. Spock Company, a parenting media company, announced the development of a new series of books with Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, the publishing arm of Viacom Inc. The partnership launches a new phase of the relationship that began 59 years ago between the prominent book publisher and the late Dr. Benjamin Spock. The Take Charge Parenting Guides will be the first book-publishing effort authored by a new group of Spock-inspired parenting experts. The Dr. Spock Company, which is backed by Zesiger Capital Group LLC and Northcoast Capital Management LLC, is headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif.

The first book to hit the shelves, in winter 2002, will be Dr. Spock's Baby Basics, by pediatrician Robert Needlman and will provide parents with insights and practical advice on the fundamentals such as sleeping, eating, hygiene, toilet training, and comforting. Dr. Spock's Pregnancy Guide, by obstetrician Marjorie Greenfield, which will be released in spring 2003. Safety & First Aid for Babies and Toddlers, by pediatrician K. Lynn Cates, is a handbook that will be added to the series in fall 2003.

"For time-starved parents on the go, like my wife and myself, these guides are indispensable," said Doug Lee, president and CEO of The Dr. Spock Company. "The easy-to-access, expert-driven information directly addresses the needs of a younger generation of parents."

"With Dr. Spock we see a branded-content franchise, and we are thrilled to extend our legacy partnership with them," said Louise Burke, executive vice president and publisher of Pocket Books. "We are excited about this category because of the potential we see in high-volume sales for the genre."