Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 02/01/2020 Gr 3–5—A delightful case of well-written nonsense. Mrs. Jewls's class is back and as wacky as ever. Whether collecting a million toenails or dealing with 'oppositosis,' it's safe to say that nothing is ever normal at Wayside School. Yet when a cloud of doom looms over its walls, things get even stranger. Even the elusive Miss Zarves makes an appearance! After 40 years, Wayside School is still a delight. It still tickles the funny bone with the most ridiculous scenarios. As expected, the characters do lack depth; their only growth is shown through silly antics. Yet parents and librarians will be overjoyed to have their favorite class back. The real question is: Has Wayside stood the test of time? In an age of Dan Gutman's "My Weird School" series, where the text is more excitable and fast-paced, children may not be so enamored by the classic series. VERDICT Parents and librarians will be filled with nostalgia. Recommended for young fiction collections seeking silly school stories.—Rebecca Fitzgerald, Harrison Public Library, NY - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 01/01/2020 Almost twenty-five years after Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger comes this fourth entry in the beloved series, and happily, not a whole lot has changed. The same cast of characters occupies Mrs. Jewls’ classroom on the thirtieth floor, and while there remain chapters that work as stand-alone stories, the book as a whole is remarkably cohesive, with callback jokes aplenty—sometimes hearkening back to previous titles—and several plot threads running throughout. As Mrs. Jewls prepares her students for the Ultimate Test, which tests “everything you’ve ever learned in your whole life,” a class project to understand the nature of “a million” has them attempting to collect that many finger- and toenail clippings. Meanwhile, a mysterious, dark cloud has settled over the school, and whatever it is, it can’t be good. Sachar’s return to Wayside continues the same side-splitting formula, but a little added polish, overall cohesion, and character development may make this one the best of the bunch. An unbeatable read-aloud option for early middle-grade audiences.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Anything from Newbery Medalist Sachar is sure to draw a crowd, but a return to Wayside School, forty years after its debut, feels extra special. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.