“Sideways Stories from Wayside School” - Louis Sachar

 (books 1-3)

🍎 As the school year draws to a close, I’m reflecting on fun books I read with the kids this year. I picked this series on Audible as a fun back-to-school read as I remember reading it and loving it in 2nd grade, and my youngest had just started 2nd. A few weeks later, his class started reading the 1st book just as we finished reading it at home. Some books are truly classics!

🍎 Avi cackled uproariously throughout, and even Sanjay (6th) grinned. He says he really liked the book when he read it in 2nd grade. They’re fun short stories that feature the uniquely, unique students of the 30th floor of Wayside School.

🍎 As an adult, I can see why children love these books. Sachar writes zany stories, but most sound like the tall tales this age group is known for spinning. It’s not that the prevaricate deliberately; Sachar writes the way kids observe, recall facts, or problem solve. Don’t like your name? Just swap like Nancy and Mac. How tall does a multi-story building appear to a 7 year-old? Oh, about 30 stories…

🍎 They’re great stories for working on reading comprehension too! They’re so funny and outrageous that I noticed Avi could retell me the plot without missing major details. What did evil Mrs. Groff do to her students? How?

🍎 The only drawback here is that Avi loved the series so much he insisted we read all of the books. Last count there are 4 or maybe 5. We got through 3, and I needed a break. Fair warning: book 3 has a chapter that calls into question the existence of Santa. You might want to skip if you have little believers at home. Also, book 3 chapter 23 “Ears” is unexpectedly dark for this series IMO.