Wayside School is like no other. There are 30 floors in the school building, (well, actually only 29 because there is no 19th floor) so you have to be super-speedy to get to class if you are in Mrs Jewl’s class on the top floor.

Luckily there is a unique school bell system that alerts Mrs Jewl’s students to hurry, but unfortunately of course, there are 28 classes of students you have to get past on the stairs!

Not only are the bells unique, but so are the students themselves, the teaching staff, and some strange, but fun, school rules.

Mrs Jewl’s class are dreading a huge 3-day-long test called the ULTIMATE test. Luckily the test is suddenly postponed, with a great sigh of relief from the class. But other things begin challenging them. Is it because of the strange cloud above the school building? A cloud Mrs Jewl calls A Cloud of Doom.

There is a weird face-pull that seems to be catching. A large and intriguing cabinet has appeared outside their classroom with warnings to stay away from it – even though there are chains wrapped around it four times. Then there is Kathy who usually horrible all the time. She’s suddenly so nice to everyone, but now all her schoolwork is written backwards. Is it a case of the dreaded Oppositosis? Louis the caretaker is friendly and helpful, but the Principal is not. Until he makes an offer to Mrs Jewl’s students, that none of them can ignore.

And of course there is the nail collection. Not the useful type that hold things together, but the toe and fingernail variety. Room 30 are hoping to collect a million of them! Will they reach their goal? Who can bring the most?

This is the 4th in this classic series by the author of HOLES. There is an author’s note in the front that suggests you read the 1st three in the series then wait 40 years (which is how long the gap is between the 3rd instalment and this one), then read this episode.

Or just read it now, which I did. Just like HOLES, the story all clicks together along the way. I laughed out loud at the antics of Wayside School under the influence of the strange cloud above them. Louis Sachar’s earlier life includes working in a elementary school, and it certainly shows throughout this fun story.

Author – Louis Sachar

Age – 7+

(School, Funny, LOL, Humour, Series, Classic, Zany, Teachers, Students, Mystery, Intrigue, Paperclips)