Books published by publisher Somerville

Once upon a time, and with surprising frequency, dragons kidnapped helpless princesses. As the ultimate romantic gesture, heroic princes fought the dragons and saved the damsels in distress. At least, that's the story you've been led to believe. But here's a little secret: Sometimes the dragon saved the princess from the princes... In the kingdom of Marshwood, everybody lives happily ever after - orphans, stepmothers, everybody. King Wesick is wise and beloved. Queen Mattea is beautiful and kind. Prince Nolan is handsome and brave, and his sister Littagale is smart and talented. But when it comes time for Princess Littagale to marry, suddenly the dragon Tor flies down from Mount Shadow, kidnaps the princess, and flies her to his dark lair. "Oh, no! The horror! Who will save her?" cry the townspeople. With great fanfare and the cologne of testosterone, princes from near and far arrive in Marshwood and vow to rescue the princess - in exchange for the honor of becoming her husband and inheriting the kingdom. The townspeople rejoice, place bets, and everyone waits to see who will defeat Tor and save Princess Littagale. But what secret is Queen Mattea hiding? And why does Tor have a spa in his lair?

In the best-selling tradition of Chess for Kids comes Backgammon for Kids, the game that challenges both the creative and logical sides of the brain. Ideal for youngsters on the go (a game lasts less than 10 minutes), Backgammon for Kids comes complete with a full set of plastic pieces, one doubling die, two pairs of dice, two shakers, carrying case, and a book of backgammon rules, strategies, trivia, and history--everything you need to play--all packaged in a custom-designed portfolio board with a magnetic closure so kids can take it anywhere!

Meg-amania hits the stores with Megalodon, a hugely appealing look at the prehistoric underwater beast known to summer movie fans as "Jurassic shark!" New from Dr. Stephen Cumbaa, author of the million-copy best-seller The Bones Book and Skeleton, Megalodon takes young paleontologists deep beneath the prehistoric sea to investigate the habits of this monstrous shark, how it lived, what it ate, and why it became extinct. Complete with an excavation tool and a replica of a real Meg tooth embedded in a block of "stone", this hands-on science kit makes it fun for kids to dig in and discover one of the most incredible creatures to have inhabited our world.

All kids chew gum -- but how many know that gum once came from the rainforest? Chew On This! is the only book about the history and science of chewing gum that includes all the ingredients kids need to make their very own brand! Find out who turned a single stick of gum into a national marketing craze! Try some gum experiments that will really "blow" your mind! Then use the microwavable container to mix up a batch of your own favorite chewing-gum; using gum base, sugar, corn syrup, flavorings, and a stir stick. You'll get enough gum to make 50 pieces -- plus tips on polite gum-chewing and how to dispose of gum (no, not under the desk or behind you ear!) when you're through.