Wayside School Is Falling Down

Author: Louis Sachar

My Description: This book is crazy, but in a good way. It's Wayside School, it's Louis Sachar, what's not to love? Wayside School Is Falling Down keeps up with it's predacessor, Sideways Stories From Wayside School, and I highly enjoyed it.

Back-the-Book Description: Wayside School is 30 stories high with only one room on each floor. On the top floor is Mrs. Jewls' class, where order has been abandoned in favor of nonsense and silliness.

Pages: 152

Recommendations: To younger kids, or a family reading to younger kids, but anyone could love it.

Writing Rating: 9

Story Rating: Again, I can't really rate the story to this book since it's a collection of stories.

Overall Rating: 8

Book #10 of '09, Book #60 of all

If You're Reading This, It's Too Late

Author: Psuedonamous Bosch
Back-of-the-Book Description: Beware! Dangerous secrets lie between the pages of this book.

OK, I warned you. But if you think I'll give anything away, or tell you that this is the sequel to my first literary endeavor, The Name of This Book is Secret, you're wrong. I'm not going to remind you of how we last left our heroes, Cass and Max-Ernest, as they awaited intiation into the mysterious Terces Society, or the ongoing fight against the evil Dr. L and Ms. Mauvais. I certainly won't be telling you about how the kids stumble upon the Museum of Magic, where they finally meet the amazing Pietro!

Oh, blast! I've done it again. Well, at least I didn't tell you about the missing Sound Prism, the nefarious Lord Pharaoh, or the mysterious creature born in a bottle over 500 years ago, the key to the biggest secret of all. I really can't help myself, now can I? Let's face it---if you're reading this, it's too late.
My Description: Oh my gosh... This book is hysterical. Hysterical, I tell you! Like in the last book, there are some things I'd rather not read about, but Mr. Bosch is an amazing author, and he does the funniest things... I loved how the chapters were numbered backwards, like a countdown, how the page where the main characters are on a boat was slanted, how he keeps bringing up all of these silly things and how throughout the entire book I could almost swear he was talking to ME.

That being said, I wish that Cass and Max Ernest wouldn't get in trouble so much. You'd think that a secret society that they happen to be a member of would at least find a way for the kids not to get grounded after practically saving the world. It really annoyed me throughout the entire book, and sort of took away from it.

I didn't get the whole Yo-Yoji thing, and I didn't understand how Amber could be known as the nicest girl in school and act the way she did. I don't really know what to think of her, and I wish her character had been more definitely placed.

This book is for older readers. I wouldn't recommend it to younger people for a couple things that made me uncomfortable... but it was better in that aspect than The Name of This Book Is Secret, though both were equally funny.

Anyways, this book is a riot, and I highly enjoyed it.
Pages: 400
Recommendations: To people who enjoyed The Name of This Book Is Secret
Writing Rating: 9
Story Rating: 7 1/2
Overall Rating: 8


Book #9 of '09 (isn't that silly?), Book #59 of all

Sideways Stories from Wayside School

Author: Louis Sachar

Back-of-the-Book Description: There was a terrible mistake-Wayside School was built with one classroom on top of another, thirty stories high! (The builder said he was sorry.) Maybe that's why all kinds of funny things happened at Wayside-especially on the thirtieth floor.

My Description: I got this book because I heard the third in the series (Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger) on tape when I was very little and absolutely adored it. This one was a little unjust here and there, but I still loved it because of the way Mr. Sachar wrote it (he also wrote my all-time favorite book Holes). Though I didn't like the unjust bits, little peoples are sure to adore the whole thing.

All in all, a very cute and very silly story. It's crazy, zany, and most definitely sideways!

Pages: 128

Recommendations: A family reading to younger children, or younger children would be the main audience, but anyone and everyone could love this cute story.

Writing Rating: 9

Story Rating: I can't really rate the story, because it's more than one... It's bunch of stories put together to make this silly book.

Overall Rating: 8

Book #8 of '09, Book #58 of all