Reader's Digest to Publish Barbie Brand Children's Books

Posted on September 13, 2002

Reader's Digest Children's Publishing announced that it has launched a new publishing program with Mattel for books and other products under the Barbie brand. This fall, Reader's Digest Children's Publishing will publish Barbie as Rapunzel, a tie in to a new video of the same name, part of Mattel's video program.

"We are excited about continuing our extremely successful partnership with Mattel," said Harold Clarke, Vice President and Publisher, Trade Publishing for Reader's Digest Association. "Reader's Digest Children's Publishing has had great success with the Barbie Book Collection and we know this success will continue."

The Barbie as Rapunzel book features a retelling of the favorite fairy tale starring Barbie. The book, which is packaged with a comb, has doll hair to brush and style. Mattel's Barbie as Rapunzel product program is launching in stores in August 2002 and will be backed by a major ad campaign for both the dolls and video.

"We have always been tremendously pleased with the marketing support that Mattel has provided for the Reader's Digest Children's Publishing Barbie Book Collection," said Clarke. "With the Barbie as Rapunzel doll, video and book all coming out this fall, we are sure to have an especially high rate of visibility."

Reader's Digest Children's Publishing has trade distribution in the US, Canada and the UK, and produces co-editions in over 25 languages and 31 countries. The Reader's Digest Association, Inc., is a global publisher and direct marketer of products for people of all ages and cultures around the world. Global headquarters are located at Pleasantville, New York.