Secrets of Droon is the literary equivalent of comfort food—nothing fancy, but it does the job. Tony Abbott wrote 44 of these things, which tells you everything: they're formulaic, fast, and designed to keep early readers hooked. If your kid is in that sweet spot between Magic Tree House and Harry Potter, this series can fill months of bedtime reading.

That said, it's very 1999. The writing is straightforward, the plots are predictable, and the world-building is more 'throw cool stuff at the wall' than Tolkien-level craft. Modern kids raised on Pixar and Avatar: The Last Airbender might find it a bit flat. But for a 6- or 7-year-old who just wants to imagine a portal in their basement? It works.

The WISE scores are solid—wholesome friendships, safe adventure peril, decent imagination fuel, and reading skill-building. It won't change your kid's life, but it also won't rot their brain. If your library has the series, grab a few and see if they stick. If your kid loves them, you've got 44 books of runway. If not, no harm done.