Pocket Books is an American publishing house founded in 1939, a pioneer of the mass-market paperback in the United States and one of the imprints that helped launch the modern paperback industry. It became a major publisher of popular fiction and nonfiction across many genres.
MTV Books was an imprint created through a partnership between the cable network MTV and Pocket Books, aimed at young adult and youth-oriented readers. It published fiction and nonfiction designed to appeal to the network's audience, often tied to youth culture and contemporary themes.
The MTV Books imprint published Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower in 1999, which became a beloved coming-of-age bestseller. The partnership reflected a moment when media brands extended into book publishing for younger readers.
Pocket Books is now part of Simon & Schuster, continuing a long tradition of mass-market and trade paperback publishing. The combined MTV Books and Pocket Books name reflects that era of youth-focused publishing within a major paperback house.