SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Pearl's & Ruby's
  • Politics in Practice
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • *Best New Books*
    • Annual Best Lists
  • Reviews
    • One Star Review
    • Nonfiction
    • Toon Reviews
  • Articles
    • Authors
    • Link Du Jour
  • Covers
    • Covering the Newbery
    • Cover Curiosity
    • Unfortunate Covers
  • News
    • Books on Film
    • Morning Notes
  • Newsletter

October 23, 2019 by Travis Jonker

Endangered Series #14: Marvin Redpost by Louis Sachar

October 23, 2019 by Travis Jonker   3 comments

Popularity comes, popularity goes. As librarians we’re always balancing between what will circulate like crazy and what we need to have in the collection. And we’re not the Library of Congress – we can’t (and shouldn’t) keep everything.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

An endangered series is one that appears to be waning in terms of popularity. But popularity isn’t everything. Should it stay, or should it go? Or think of it this way – if you were starting a library today, would this series make the cut? Let’s discuss.

Marvin Redpost (Series) by Louis Sachar

This eight-book series began in 1992, with books coming out until the end of that decade.

The Case for Keeping: Through Newbery winner Holes and the Wayside School series (which will be growing in 2020), Sachar has proven to be a wonderful author. And when some students find an author they love, they want to read everything we have by them. Hanging on to this series will give Sachar fans more options.

The Case for Not: There’s no shortage of boy-centric chapter book fare out there, and maybe the shelf space would be better used with something more current.

Refresh? The entire series was re-released in 2007 with updated covers and illustrations:

My Verdict: We’re weeding them. It’s a brutal world out there, I know, but they haven’t been circulating enough to keep. Holes and Wayside School series is not going anywhere, though.

What are you doing with this series at your library?

Previously:

Endangered Series #1: The Boxcar Children

Endangered Series #2: The Hardy Boys

Endangered Series #3: American Girl

Endangered Series #4: The Baby Sitter’s Club

Endangered Series #5: The Bailey School Kids

Endangered Series #6: Nate the Great

Endangered Series #7: Cam Jansen

Endangered Series #8: The Kids of the Polk Street School

Endangered Series #9: Pony Pals

Endangered Series #10: Little Bill

Endagered Series #11: Animal Ark

Endangered Series #12: Arthur

Endangered Series #13: The English Roses

Filed under: Endangered Series

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

A Fuse #8 Production

Throw Wide Those Cemetery Gates: Leigh Bardugo and John Picacio Discuss The Invisible Parade

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Pacheco and the Witch of the Mountain | This Week’s Comics

by Lori Henderson

Heavy Medal

Our Mock Newbery List is Up to 52 Titles

by Steven Engelfried

Politics in Practice

When Book Bans are a Form of Discrimination, What is the Path to Justice?

by John Chrastka

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Teen MakerSpace: DIY Stickers, High Tech

by Karen Jensen, MLS

The Yarn

How Colby Sharp Celebrates Reading with Students

by Colby Sharp

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Best Picture Books 2024 | SLJ Best Books

Best Young Adult Books 2024 | SLJ Best Books

SLJ’s 2024 Best Books Cover Unveiled. Download a PDF of the Full List.

Best Nonfiction Elementary 2024 | SLJ Best Books

Best Nonfiction Middle to High School 2024 | SLJ Best Books

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michelle says

    October 24, 2019 at 3:38 pm

    I got the new covers and promoted them to 2nd grade in the spring using Why Pick on Me? for read-alouds during state testing time. The kids loved it, and the size of the book with the illustrations is something that’s not overwhelming for kids trying to go from picture books to chapter books before attempting novels. This is an area of the school library that I am trying to develop because we need those smallish books to help kids transition to reading more independently. I did get rid of the books with the old covers.

  2. Barbara Gogan says

    October 24, 2019 at 4:06 pm

    We have much better options and no one was reading them, even with our spotlighting them. However, when I noticed one was There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom, I realized that was not a message out inclusive school would want to promote and we tossed them all. Now the section looks much more appealing with those gone.

  3. TRACY FERGUSON says

    October 25, 2019 at 8:53 am

    I kept them–put them in my Easy Chapter section–which was a HUGE need….those transitional chapter books that help kids go from picture books to chapter books. I JUST recommended this to a pre-teen who is a struggling reader. She did NOT want the ‘girly’ books–her words–and so I recommended Marvin Redpost. She took two and came back the next day and told me she loved them and wanted more!!! Success! I am keeping them-for now.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • Author/Illustrator Blogs

    • Erin Stead Illustration
    • Hey, Rabbit!
    • James Preller's Blog
    • MATTHEWCORDELLBLOGS
    • Mo Willems Doodles
    • The Scop
  • Book Blogs I Like

    • A Book and a Hug
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • A Kids Book a Day
    • A Year of Reading
    • Abby (the) Librarian
    • Awful Library Books
    • Becky’s Book Reviews
    • Better Book Titles
    • Book-A-Day Almanac
    • Bookends
    • books4yourkids.com
    • bookshelves of doom
    • Bottom Shelf Books
    • Calling Caldecott
    • Caustic Cover Critic
    • Chad C. Beckerman
    • Charlotte’s Library
    • Cheryl Rainfield
    • Chicken Spaghetti
    • CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
    • Collecting Children’s Books
    • Cybils
    • EarlyWord
    • educating alice
    • Finding Wonderland
    • For Those About to Mock
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Good Show Sir
    • GottaBook
    • Great Kid Books
    • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
    • Hi Miss Julie!
    • Jen Robinson’s Book Page
    • Kidsmomo
    • Maria T. Middleton Design
    • Nerdy Book Club
    • Neverending Search
    • Nine Kinds of Pie
    • One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books
    • Out of the Box
    • Oz and Ends
    • PlanetEsme
    • Read Roger
    • Reading Rants!
    • Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
    • sharpread
    • ShelfTalker
    • so tomorrow
    • The Children's Book Review
    • The Miss Rumphius Effect
    • Uncovered Cover Art
    • Waking Brain Cells
    • Watch. Connect. Read.
  • Library Blogs

    • ALSC Blog
    • Blue Skunk Blog
    • librarian.net
    • LISNews
    • Stephen's Lighthouse
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Unshelved
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books 2024
    • 2024 Stars So Far
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Pearls & Rubys
    • Politics in Practice
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • Reasons to Love Libraries
    • 2025 Youth Media Awards
    • Defending the Canon:SLJ & NCTE Review 15 Banned Classics
    • Refreshing the Canon Booklist
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Read Free Poster
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2025


    COPYRIGHT © 2025