Published: April 30, 2008 11:23 am            

The Library Shelf 04-30-08

These days many young adult series are reaching popular status because of hype around an upcoming movie or shock about controversial content.

Unfortunately, many delicious series are overlooked despite the fact that they are packed with just as entertaining tales as their more often checked out neighbors.

For example, in Marianne Curley’s “Guardians of Time,” the author combines gods and goddesses with time travel and a save-the-world scenario. Despite the fast moving storyline, the first book, “The Named,” only sees the outside world (gets checked out) about eight times a year.

For those who enjoy the post-apocalyptic scene, the “Hungry City Chronicles” by Philip Reeve provides a future where large mobile cities devour smaller, slower cities with gigantic hydraulic jaws. This series is filled with amazing sky ships and exciting sword fights, but the first book, “Mortal Engines,” only checks out five times a year.

Most disturbing is Sylvia Waugh’s “Ormingat Trilogy.” The first book in this wonderful series, “Space Race,” has been checked out only 15 times in nine years. Each book in this trilogy can be read independently, though their stories are connected, but this does not seem to increase checkouts in the slightest.

The next time you want to begin reading a series, why not take the time to find grab one of these overlooked books? Quietly wonderful books need love, too.

        

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