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Parents' Guide to

Wayside

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Zany school tales will entertain grade-schoolers.

TV Nickelodeon Kids' Animation 2007
Wayside Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 6+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Theo D.
Theo D. Adult
March 22, 2019
age 5+
thirdgradeteacher
thirdgradeteacher Adult
May 31, 2013
age 7+

Wayside School the TV Show is Awesome!!

Do you know the famous book series, Wayside School? Have you seen the words “Based on a TV show” on the cover? Well, I know what they mean. There was a show that came after the books. If you read the books, you will find things in the books that you can find on the show. And the characters are not relatable, and that’s what makes them funny! And the school is infested with … COWS! The first reason is that you can find things in the TV show that you can find in the books because in 1 of the books, Mr. Kidswatter called doors “Goozacks.”So you can find that in the movie. You can also find that Maurecia loves Todd in everything. Another detail is that Mr. Kidswatter calls Todd “344”, even though that’s his address, but he doesn't know that. Another reason is that the characters are not relatable and that's what makes them funny. The teachers don't know what they're doing because Mrs. Jewels calls her students "monkeys" and the students are crazy because...where do I begin. Well, Stephen has a pet orange and thinks everyday is Halloween. Louis...well, he's just plain weird. The last reason is that the school is infested with cows! On one episode, there was a sub for Mrs. Jewel’s class. Then a cow came into the room! Her name was Mrs. Bellamy. The students though she was the sub. Also, Louis is the cow keeper and he doesn't think it's weird to have cows in school. In the movie, when Todd was taking the stairs to the 30th floor, a cow ate a wall! So everyone, I believe that Wayside School is the best TV show ever! I would give it a 5 out of 5 star rating because you can see stuff on the show that you can see in the books, the characters are not relatable and that's what makes them funny. The school is infested with cows! When I watch it with my sister on Netflix, we always want to watch the next episode so remember Wayside School is the funniest TV show ever! The end! Zac C., Age 8, New York, New York
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Based on the best-selling book series by Louis Sachar, WAYSIDE chronicles daily life at a school whose quirky students and oddball staff ensure that nothing is predictable and no two days are ever the same. The cartoon version of the Wayside story follows seemingly normal new student Todd (voiced by Mark Rendall) as he tries to fit in with his unusual peers. Whether it's chaotic class pet day or a heated dodgeball game to crown a class president, one thing's for sure: There's no telling what a day at Wayside holds in store for Todd -- or anyone else brave enough to enter.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (13 ):

There's no doubt that Wayside School is a bit, well, different from most other grammar schools. Its very structure sets it apart: A builder's error led the school's 30 classrooms to be stacked on top of each other rather than laid out in a traditional one-story building. At Wayside School, you might be greeted by the cows who roam free amongst the students or the crotchety principal, Mr. Kidswatter, who ranks kids at the very top his list of life's irritants. The rest of the staff is as peculiar as their leader, right down to Miss Mush, the fearless school cook who delights in the unusual concoctions she creates ... which send the students running for their brown bags.

This fast-paced series is packed with the zany characters and scenarios that young grade-schoolers will love. Even better, it's virtually free of content likely to bother parents. Occasional mild cartoon peril and rare mention of crushes between students are about the extent of it, making Wayside a fun option for kids who've outgrown preschool shows but aren't quite ready for the true tween stuff.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the stuff that goes on at Wayside compares to what happens at real kids' schools. Kids: What do you think of the teachers at Wayside? Who are your favorites? Why do you like them? Do they seem to do much teaching, or does class time seem like a free-for-all? Do you think the kids learn very much there? How is your classroom different? What do you think life would be like at that school? Families who've read the books can also discuss how the show is similar and different. Is it what you pictured when you read the stories?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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