Sideways Stories from Wayside School

The vertical school with a classroom on the 30th floor is such a unique setting. I'm curious whether this was a creative decision or inspired by something real.

The jokes and situations feel so authentic to childhood, but also delightfully absurd. Am I the only one who found myself laughing at the unexpected twists?

There’s a lot of silliness, but also subtle messages about empathy. Do others see this as an intentional part of the storytelling or just natural to the characters?