Library of Doom series by Michael Dahl

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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

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