A collection of interconnected stories about the peculiar happenings at Wayside School, a bizarre building that was mistakenly constructed as a 30-story school with classrooms stacked sideways rather than the traditional design. The book introduces a cast of eccentric characters, including quirky teachers and imaginative students, each with their unique traits and oddities. Some of the memorable characters include Mrs. Gorf, the mean teacher who can turn students into apples, Mrs. Jewls, a kind and caring teacher who often gets distracted, and students like Bebe and Joe, who find themselves in humorous and surreal situations. The stories are told in a series of vignettes, where each chapter features a different character or event, showcasing the whimsical and nonsensical nature of life at Wayside School. Themes of friendship, imagination, and the absurdity of school life are explored through humorous and sometimes bizarre scenarios, such as students floating to the ceiling or encountering talking animals.

 

 

There are 176 pages in this book.

This is an early chapter book. Publishers market early chapter books at readers aged 6-10 years. These typically range from 40 to 120 pages and are designed for children who are transitioning from picture books to more text-heavy reading, usually around ages 6 to 9. Early chapter books have simple plots, larger font sizes, short chapters, and may include some illustrations to help keep young readers engaged. Examples include books like Magic Tree House or Ivy and Bean series.

This book was published in 2021 by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC .

Aleksei Bitskoff graduated with an MA in illustration from Camberwell College of Arts and gained third place in the Macmillan Illustration Prize. His first book for Templar was The Monstrous Book of Monsters, followed by The Practical Princess Guide. Louis Sachar lives in Austin, Texas, where he writes his wonderful novels.