I have been looking forward to introducing my son to the favorite books of my childhood, and I’m delighted to find he is finally old enough to appreciate them!
Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar (originally published 1978) is a perfect chapter book for young readers. The chapters are less than five pages, the stories are compact and yet still inter-related, and the silliness factor meets the needs of a child. My son loved the time we spent reading these together, and as soon as we finished it, he took it from me and informed me he was going to read it again to himself. He is more than half way done.
As an adult, I still enjoyed it. It is silly and yet it does play off of realistic challenges: adults telling you to do things that seem impossible (going to take a note to a non-existent teacher), falling asleep when you should be awake, getting along with other kids, and overcoming stereotype, for example. I really enjoyed revisiting it as an adult.
Highly recommended.
Don’t take my word for it! Here are my son’s thoughts!
Kid Review
A conversation with my almost five-year-old about Sideways Stories from Wayside School
Just this morning I was talking to my mother-in-law about starting to read chapter books to my four-year-old grandson. Thsi sounds like a great place to start – thanks for the suggestion!
Debbie Rodgers @Exurbanis » yes, it’s a lot of fun! Chapters are perfect length for that age.
Awwww, Raisin. I’m glad he liked it so much! Are y’all going to read the other books? I like the story — I can’t remember which book it’s in — where one of the kids goes to the floor that doesn’t exist. I forget what else happens but I remember it was sort of weird and too orderly and the kids couldn’t escape.
Jenny » I’m going to tell him there are sequels, and see if he enjoys them himself! I remembered that chapter you refer too. It was like a nightmare place, that 19th story!! The kids had to copy the dictionary all day long…
I loved this book so much when I was young. Maybe it’s time for a re-read!
Melissa (Avid Reader) » yes, it’s fun to revisit as an adult.