Sideways Stories from Wayside School, By Louis Sachar
(4/5) Ages 7+
Wayside school is so hilarious! It’s a book about a wonky school that is thirty stories high, with one classroom on each story. Miss Zarves is on the nineteenth story. There is no nineteenth story; There is no Miss Zarves. Join the students during their funny and strange everyday school lives. From the teacher who turns kids into apples, to the nicest teacher they ever had, one thing is certain: This is not your typical elementary school!
Why you should read this: If you’re looking for laughs and a bit of drama, this is perfect for you!
The Terrible Two starts out with the story of Miles, and his move to Yawnee Valley, where everything and everyone is obsessed with cows. He hates it. Before, at his old school, he was the best prankster you would ever see. A legend. And now he would have to start over. On his first day at his new school, it seems as though there already is a prankster, but Miles won’t back down. So he starts planning the biggest prank ever. But, it backfires when a boy named Niles, who is the teacher suck-up, ruins Mile’s prank, and shows his true self, the mastermind prankster. Now even the principal is against him. So, an epic prank war is on, and the only thing left now is to declare its winner!
I recommend this book to people who love adventure and humor.
Drama is a heartfelt book about a girl named Callie, who is the set designer for a theater club. Everything is going well, and she has so many great ideas for their show, Moon over Mississippi. She wants to create the best set designs, but problems such as crew members not getting along, interfere between her dreams. Then real drama starts to erupt when two twins join the club. It didn’t help when Callie started to grow close to the twins, and love was in the air for her. Now with everything going on offstage and on, Callie’s life has become a lot crazier.
Review
The book certainly deserves its title. There is drama everywhere, from the the club, to the actors, crew members, and Callie’s personal life. The author captured it all perfectly and I loved it.
Somehow though, the romance in this book started to become one of the main storylines. This was a distraction from the overall plot of the story. It also made the characters unrealistic, especially since readers are younger audiences. Most people, like me, didn’t want the main character to be so impractical. I thought Callie was a little too crazy over boys, and this also distracted her from focusing on the play.
But the actual scenes that include the club working on theater productions was a great read because there were many positive messages such as determination, hard work, teamwork, and respecting each other’s talents/differences.
I think the author could have done better, but overall, it was a good read. I recommend this book to people who like stories about love, drama, and friendship.
Sisters is about a girl named Raina. She is an only child, and has always wanted a little sister. Her wish finally comes true, but nothing is how she had expected it to be. For instance, Amara (her sister) hates everyone, including her. So when a new baby brother is born, and their dad loses his job, Raina doesn’t know what she should do. One day, their mother announces a surprise trip to visit their cousins in Colorado. This means they all have to cramp together in a car for one long road trip. It slowly becomes obvious that the family is growing apart, and now it’s up to Raina and Amara to set aside their differences in order to be the glue that keeps everyone together.
Review
Sisters shares the drama Raina and her sister have experienced while growing up. Readers get to join them in their journey of a very long trip and humorous flashbacks to learning how to work together with one another. I love how the POV sometimes alternates from the past to the present, because it vividly describes the family’s background with visuals. The illustrations are so beautifully drawn, and they express the words in a colorful, artsy way. The cute and funny moments in this book will bring a smile to your face.
It is a honest, and very relatable story that people of all ages will love. The connections I made with the characters in this book improved my experience while I was reading. Overall, this was one of the most engaging true stories that I have read.
Wonder is about a boy who has a condition that affects his face. He had always been homeschooled, but one day his parents decided to send him to a real school. The story portrays Auggie’s experience in middle school, and what he learned during these times. He faces the difficulties of many fake friends, bullies, and much more. It takes a while, but he does finally find his place and make his first true friend – and enemy.
Review
Wonder changed how I look at people who are ‘different’ because it teaches us that everyone in the world is unique, but you can’t just determine that by looks. This book and every character in it – especially Auggie – stole my heart. I loved how most of the characters changed for the better by the end. Some didn’t, and I loved that too, because at least the book was realistic about it. The POV also alternates between the characters, which makes it interesting to read.
The whole story has different themes displayed throughout, all of them coming to one central message. Younger readers can find these positive themes as a role model.
Overall, I give this book five-stars because it has everything, tearjerkers, drama, good themes, realism, and humor.
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