Charles Welsh's account of the achievements of John Newbery was first published in 1885. Newbery is best known as the pioneering publisher of good-quality children's books such as A Little Pretty Pocket-Book and Little Goody Two-Shoes. In many ways he can be regarded as the first publisher who created and marketed books specifically for children. He was an associate of Samuel Johnson and Oliver Goldsmith, and founded a number of newspapers that published some of their works. Welsh also draws attention to a less well known aspect of Newbery's diverse business ventures: his involvement in the selling of patent medicines. The author chronicles the immediate successors to the Newbery business and includes a lengthy summary of the son Francis Newbery's autobiography. The illustrated book contains a number of appendices including John Newbery's will, lists of his publications and some of the newspapers with which he was associated.
