In keeping with its strategy of aggressively targeting North American kids through advertising and special promotional programs, such as ‘NHL Light the Lamp’ and ‘Nike/NHL Street,’ the NHL has granted Somerville USA the worldwide rights to publish a series of books based on the professional hockey league. Somerville USA will create 3-D, team-based, educational and novelty books that skew to kids ages five to 11. The first six titles will be distributed by Penguin Putnam beginning in August 1999. In additon to selling the titles through major book chains, the NHL will try to move the books via less traditional routes of distribution, such as grocery and drug stores, says David McConnachi, director of print product marketing, NHL Enterprises. While the NHL has yet to finalize its ad campaign, McConnachi adds, it plans to market the titles through its Web site (www.nhl.com), and youth pub, Powerplay.