Endangered Series #29: The Zack Files

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.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

The Zack Files (series) by Dan Greenburg, illustrated by Jack E. Davis
This chapter book series ran from 1996 to 2003, spanning 30 books.
The Case for Keeping: I’m going to call The Zack Files books “unrealistic realistic fiction”. Like, it’s about a realistic kid in a mostly realistic world, but the stuff that happens isn’t realistic at all (which is what makes the series fun, by the way). If you have fans of other “unrealistic realistic fiction” series like My Weird School, these could be a possible read alike.
The Case for Not: You know how they say buying a house is all about location, location, location? Series book are all about circulation, circulation, circulation. These have been shelf sitting pretty steadily at my K-3rd grade school library.
Refresh? The books still sport their original covers, so no dice in the updated looks department. But all the books are still in print and available in paperback.
My Verdict: When we being weeding our fiction section in the fall, these will likely go.
How are you handing this series in 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 #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
Endangered Series #26: A to Z Mysteries
Endangered Series #27: Encyclopedia Brown
Endangered Series #28: The Secrets of Droon
Filed under: Endangered Series
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
ADVERTISEMENT
SLJ Blog Network
Social Emotional Learning Skills For All: A Carol Hinz Interview About the SEL Tool Kit
Weirdo | Review
Goodbye for now
When Book Bans are a Form of Discrimination, What is the Path to Justice?
North Star Editions Showcase
ADVERTISEMENT