What Should I Read Next?
By Sally Ollove, Literary Manager
If you liked Sideways Stories from Wayside School, you are in luck! There are two sequels you can read: Wayside School is Falling Down and Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger. Read more stories about your favorite characters and meet new characters, like the kids in Miss Zarves’ class!
Louis Sachar who wrote Sideways Stories also wrote some other books you might enjoy like: Holes and There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom.
We also asked the cast and crew of Sideways Stories at the Arden to tell us some of their favorite books from when they were younger. Parents, we’ve noted when these books might be for older kids or teens, using guidelines from Scholastic.
Rachel Camp (Mrs. Jewls): Matilda by Roald Dahl and Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Donna Recole (Assistant Stage Manager): Anything by Judy Blume, like Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Freckle Juice, and Otherwise Known As Sheila The Great.
Alex Keiper (BeBe): The Giver by Lois Lowry (ages 9-13), The Velveteen Rabbit (picture book), and the American Girl Book Series
Alec Ferrell (Stage Manager): Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (ages 10-13) and The Secret of NIMH by Robert C O’Brien (ages 10-12)
Emilie Krause (Leslie): A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (ages 10-13)
Liz Nugent (Assistant Stage Manager): Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (ages 9-12), with a warning from Liz that it is sad
Taysha Canales (Rondi): Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynn Reid Banks, and the Ramona series by Beverly Cleary
Steve Pacek (Mrs Gorf, Mr. Gorf, Mr. Kidswatter, Miss Valoosh, Miss Zarves, Mr. Pickle): Corduroy by Don Freeman (picture book) and Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey (picture book)
Dave Johnson (Louis): Lord of the Flies by William Golding (ages 13-18)
Anthony Martinez-Briggs (Dameon): Oh, The Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss (picture book), the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer (ages 11-14), and the Deltora Quest series by Emily Rodda (ages 9-16).
Sally Ollove (who wrote this post): Pearl’s Pirates by Frank Asch and Half Magic by Edward Eager
This was a wonderful show for the entire family. The characters were amazing and funny. Make it a day to see Wayside story!