Advanced Marketing Services has acquired a 25% stake in the Templar Co., a U.K.-based packager and publisher of children's books. The investment is in keeping with AMS's diversity strategy, which includes expansion into worldwide markets as well as entering higher margin businesses.

Templar is best known for its children's pop-up picture books and its Maurice Pledger wildlife series, which is published in the U.S. by Silver Dolphin, an imprint of AMS's publishing division. The Templar investment adds to AMS's U.K. portfolio, which includes Aura Books, Metrastock Ltd. and Aspen Book Marketing, all of which operate under the Advanced Marketing Ltd. umbrella.