Library of Doom series by Michael Dahl
Raintree, 2010.
The book that dripped blood. ISBN: 978 1406212822.
When a young man sells an exotic, fur covered book bearing exotic
golden hinges and titled 'Claws' to an old shopkeeper, a chain of
events is set in motion. The book is quickly passed from one person to
the next with pain and suffering ensuing. The Librarian magically
emerges from the pages of a paperback novel just as The Collector
arrives. Will he manage to find a solution to the problem before the
book is able to wreak any further havoc?
Containing only five chapters, few sentences on each page, a liberal
sprinkling of illustrations and with only 32 pages of text in the body
of the story, this would appear to be aimed at the older reluctant
reader. It is gruesome enough to hold a certain amount of appeal for
even secondary students to whom reading does not come easily. With the
simple vocabulary and various words highlighted by underlining or
almost having become part of a rebus or pictogram, the story is
relatively accessible. With a glossary, discussion questions and
writing prompts, this could be well utilised by classroom teachers
working with special needs students, as part of their literacy program.
In certain primary schools, the place of this series in the collection
may well be deemed as contentious by some parents! Although sharing
some similarities with the Harry Potter books, this would probably fit
best in a section designated for older readers in primary schools.
Jo Schenkel
Other titles include:
The beast beneath the stairs. ISBN 9781406212815.
After much travelling the Librarian returns to his library to find that
his collection of deadly books is missing.
Poison pages. ISBN 9781406212846.
After reading a few pages of a strange book, a young woman finds
herself trapped in a book.
The eye in the graveyard. ISBN 9781406212839.
The Librarian risks being buried in a weird tower, if he cannot work
out a legendary secret.
Cave of the bookworms. ISBN 9781406212877.
A young boy rescues the Librarian from a terrible bookworm that has
captured him.
The creeping bookends. ISBN 97814062128.
A young boy is accidentally locked inside the library. Ravenous
lizard-like bookends start to devour the books.
Escape from the pop-up prison. ISBN 978140212617.
Can the Librarian stop the evil criminals being freed from a pop-up
book?
The smashing scroll. ISBN 978140621853.
The Spellbinder has a scroll contained in a silo. Will it smash the
earth?
Pat Pledger