The Smashing Scroll

Library of Doom

by Michael Dahl

An ancient curse sends a stone silo crashing across the countryside. Can the Librarian stop the smashing scroll?

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Fiction, Childrens, Juvenile, Young Adult

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Michael Dahl is the author of over 100 children's books. Some of his most popular series are Finnegan Zwake, Library of Doom, and Dragonblood. He resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in a haunted house.

He also writes under aliases Chris Carey, Rick Thomas, and Mark Ziegler.

Reviews

[Latasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

this would be a good precursor to Goosebumps if you have kids that age and into that. there was some sound effects and the narrator did a good job reading the story.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Spellbinder was waiting for a person to read a special comic near the hidden scroll. Then the scroll would unwind its magic page.”

When a young boy reads the wrong comic book, it releases the giant scroll which comes crashing to earth. Once it starts unrolling, it begins to crush everything in its path. Only the Librarian, with his book The World’s First Story, can stop this giant scroll.

[Baby Snakes · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is marketed as young adult, but I question that. It seems to be too childish even for a 12 year old. I would not have read this had it been appropriately marked; it's really more like a transitional chapter book--a book for a 7-9 year old kid whose reading skills are not up to regular chapter books.

[LeAnne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not at all what I was expecting. This reads more like the outline of a potentially good book, but there are no named characters, no character development. I can only imagine it is aimed at reluctant readers in third grade or less. Much as I love books about librarians, this one does not make it as far as I'm concerned.

[Carrie Thoreson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for readers that are beginning to decode independently. There’s enough movement on the pages to keep reluctant readers engaged. Would be a great series for students that may need more encouragement to read and would like a series to go through.

[aliaareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great discovery of a middle grade book I made this month!

The thrill is real! My heart beat so fast, my eyes wide open, my jaw dropped the whole story. Simple, but wow!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting kid’s story with librarians as super heroes.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dahl, Michael. (2007). The smashing scroll. Minneapolis: Stone Arch Books.

Two kids are reading a comic when disaster strikes. They are caught up in the evil-doings of the Spellbinder. The Librarian, flying through the countryside, tries to get things under control.

This book was actually kind of strange but I definitely know who I will be recommending it to next year. We have many reluctant and struggling readers. This book has short sentences, simple language, and short chapters. It is well done for what it is, a high interest, low vocabulary book.

Although there is a reader’s discussion section in the back, I probably would not recommend this book for a group read, rather this is great for those struggling readers to be reading something that looks like their classmates on the outside, but is at an appropriate level on the inside.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just don't like the premise of this series. I DO like the librarian and the many types of books and reading that are introduced, but I still have a problem with showing kids that the act of reading is dangerous and could end their lives, or in the case of this book, the world.

I love the illustrations. And I like how the story reads like an urban legend. So it has it's good points.

But I still don't think I'm going to be recommending it anytime soon.

[Krystin | TheF*ckingTwist · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book Blog | Bookstagram

You can tell I'm desperate to catch up on my reading challenge by my reading this series.



⭐⭐ | 2 stars

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the lesser gruesome books in the series (no blood involved.) The Spellbinder's scroll gets loose from a farm silo and starts smashing everything in its path. The picture of the world covered in the scroll is priceless. Looks a big rubberband ball.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

With all of these books being so short, I wonder what the intention of the author was with them. Did he just want to create a book series easily readable? Might be a good question to ask the author.

*No Favorite Passage*

[Abigail (Abbe) · Rating 1 out of 5]

for Jordan. I just didn't get it.

[Kayla · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst bits of writing I have ever heard. Right up there with Fifty Shades of of Gray. Did not get past the second paragraph. 03/06/2016