Wayside School Is Falling Down

Each chapter focuses on a different student or teacher, so the book works perfectly for bedtime reading a chapter at a time. Familiar faces from the first book return, a shy new student gets stuck with the wrong name, and Louis the yard teacher has his own share of trouble. Running jokes pile up and pay off later, which rewards readers who pay attention, and the logic of the school is always delightfully upside down.

Sachar, who later wrote Holes, has a gift for nonsense with a hidden kindness. The humour is silly but never mean, and beneath the jokes there are small, true observations about friendship, jealousy, fear of looking foolish and the urge to fit in. Children laugh at the absurdities while quietly recognising themselves in the characters.

Some chapters are stronger than others, and readers who prefer a single continuous plot may find the structure a bit scattered. But as a light, joyful collection it is hard to beat, and it often turns non-readers into fans. It also makes a great bridge for kids who are ready to move from picture books to longer novels. About 224 pages in the HarperCollins paperback.