Sideways Stories from Wayside School

By Louis Sachar, Adam McCauley (Illustrator), Julie Brincklo (Illustrator)

Book #1 in the Wayside School series

A group of students navigate the challenges of school life with their eccentric teachers and classmates.

5.4/7 Bookroo experts·4.2/5 Goodreads · 102,017 ratings

124 pages· 20,493 words· Est. 3 hour read

$9.99Save 4%

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Bookroo's summary

At Wayside School, built sideways by mistake, nothing is ordinary. On the thirtieth floor, meet Bebe, the art whiz; John, who reads upside down; and Sammy, the peculiar new student. Each day brings unexpected adventures and laughter. What strange events will unfold next in this topsy-turvy school?

From the publisher

Bestselling and Newbery Medal-winning author Louis Sachar knows how to make readers laugh. And there are laughs galore in perennial favorite Sideways Stories from Wayside School.

Accidentally built sideways and standing thirty stories high (the builder said he was very sorry for the mistake), Wayside School has some of the wackiest classes in town, especially on the thirtieth floor. That’s where you’ll meet Bebe, the fastest draw in art class; John, who only reads upside down; Myron, the best class president, ever; and Sammy, the new kid—he’s a real rat.

At a glance

Format
Pages: 124
Words: 20,493
Reading age: 7–11
Audience: Juvenile Reader
Lexile: 530L

Themes & topics

Books about teachers Books about school Books about school life Books about humor

For the grown-ups

The parent guide

What families may want to know

Every family reads differently. These are the concepts our editors noticed in this book — worth seeking out for some readers, worth knowing about for others. The list isn't exhaustive, but it's a spoiler-light head start.

Language

This book includes some name-calling, such as "stupid," "ugly," "fat," and "shut up, Dixie cup."

Violence

This book includes an instance where a girl thinks about cutting her toes off for a nickel each and an instance where, while trash talking during sports, a child says "we'll kill them, we'll murder them, we'll smash them." A child also punches an adult in the stomach.

Monsters

This book includes a mean teacher who turns children into apples and the ghost of that teacher briefly visits the classroom.

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.4

out of 7

5.8

“Love the silly stories this book contains. Each chapter features a different story and a different student. This would be a fantastic read aloud and makes you laugh the whole way through!”

B is for Bookworm

Trusted reviewer

5.0

“Pick up this book and laugh all the way through! It's silly, it's fun, and it's utterly bizarre. Perfect for second through fourth grade readers, it will be a quick read that is hard to put down.”

Lauren Hancock

Trusted reviewer

For readers who can't stop at one