The Wayside School universe is a school where many things look normal—except very often they're not. Sideways Stories seems to exist in a parallel universe, and only yard teacher Louis knows that things at Wayside are not the same as they are elsewhere. We never find out how Louis knows about the real world, but somehow the yard teacher has the clearest perspective on Wayside's unusual state of being. Wayside School's version of reality, and how it differs from our own, is at the heart of the humor and fun of Sachar's book.
Questions About Versions of Reality
- What are some of the clues that Wayside might exist in a different reality?
- Why don't you think Sachar explains how Louis knows about ordinary schools?
- Wayside School has some very subtle differences from ordinary schools, and some very big differences. What are some of these differences?
- Would you rather go to school at Wayside School, or stay in your current reality? Why?
Chew on This
The characters at Wayside never go into a wardrobe or down a rabbit hole, but they live in an alternate version of reality.
Sachar uses the different reality at Wayside School as a way to poke fun of real elementary schools.