Endangered Series #26: A to Z Mysteries

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.

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.

A to Z Mysteries (series) by Ron Roy

This chapter book series began in 1996 with The Absent Author and continued alphabetically until the 26th and final book, The Zombie Zone, was published in 2005.

The Case for Keeping: The series has a good hook – a book for each letter of the alphabet. It’s the sort of thing where certain readers want to work through all the way to Z. The mystery element also distinguishes them from other books in this chapter book zone.

The Case for Not: So many of these late 90s, early 2000s series are at the same crossroads: they get to a point where they are looking beat up and dated, and it comes to a decision about keeping them or not. That’s the case with our copies.

Refresh? A few years back, updated covers were released:

A to Z Mysteries: Super Editions and spinoff series Calendar Mysteries expand the world as well.

My Verdict: When it comes to weeding books, circulation is king, and these books still circulate in our K-3rd grade library. We’re keeping them and might go for the updated covers at some point.

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

Endangered Series #14: Marvin Redpost

Endangered Series #15: Little Critter

Endangered Series #16: Spiderwick Chronicles

Endangered Series #17: Junie B. Jones

Endangered Series #18: Magic School Bus

Endangered Series #19: Dear America

Endangered Series #20: The 39 Clues

Endangered Series #21: Dear Dumb Diary

Endangered Series #22: The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley

Endangered Series #23: Horrible Harry

Endangered Series #24: Santa Paws

Endangered Series #25: Amelia’s Notebook

Filed under: Endangered Series