Sachar, Louis. Sideways Stories From Wayside School. HarperTeen (2004). ISBN-10: 0380731487

Plot Summary

The Wayside School is very unique indeed! It was supposed to be one story tall with thirty classrooms, but they accidentally built it 30 stories high with one classroom on each floor! (BTW: The builder is very sorry). The children, however, love their sideways school because their playground is much bigger than it was originally supposed to be. Each chapter of this book introduces us to a different member of Mrs. Jewl’s class on the 30th floor of the Wayside School. We learn about Mrs. Gorf, the meanest teacher in school. She turns her students into apples! Then there’s Mrs. Jewl, who, on her first day of teaching, thinks her students are all monkeys. And let’s not forget Todd – the boy who seems to get into trouble every day! As a punishment, he is forced to go home early each day on the kindergarten bus.

Critical Evaluation

This is a wacky and funny book that will keep you laughing from the moment you open it! The book contains 30 short stories – one for each of the students in the class and two for the teachers. The stories are absolutely ridiculous and seemingly inappropriate at times. Although I loved it, it contains very black humor, which may upset many readers. Use caution!

Reader's Annotation

Teaser: Read aloud from page 9.

"It has been said that these stories are strange and silly. That is probably true. However, when I told stories about you to the children at Wayside, they thought you were strange and silly. That is probably also true.”

About the Author

Louis Sachar was born in East Meadow, New York, on March 20, 1954. When he was nine years old he moved to Tustin, California. Growing up, he was a typical kid and enjoyed math, little league and playing in the orange groves near his house. When he entered high school, he discovered a love of reading. Because of the sudden death of his father, Sachar withdrew from college in Antioch, and transferred to Berkley to be closer to his mother. While attending Berkley, he became a teachers’ aide, and he loved being around the children at the school. His experience would later become the inspiration for the book Sideways Stories from Wayside School. Today, his works include the Marvin Redpost series, Wayside School is Falling Down, The Boy Who Lost His Face, and Holes.

Genre

Fiction (Humor)

Curriculum Ties

Language Arts, Science, Health

Booktalking Ideas

Imagine a school where instead of having 30 rooms on one floor, there are 30 floors with only one room on each floor! That is what Wayside School is like. If you are looking for laugh out loud entertainment, check out Louis Sachar’s Sideways Stories from Wayside School.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Ages 9-12

Reason for Book Selection

I remember this book from when I was younger. I thought it was funny then; but it is even funnier now! Yes, I know that some parts are inappropriate in today’s obsessively politically correct world. I still laughed, though!