Sideways Stories from Wayside School (Wayside School 1)

At recess D.J. was still smiling.

Louis, the yard teacher, called, “Hey, D.J. Come here.”

They walked to the far corner of the playground, where they were alone.

“What’s up, D.J.?” Louis asked.

D.J. just smiled.

“Come on, D.J. You can tell me. Why are you so happy?”

D.J. looked up at him. He said, “You need a reason to be sad. You don’t need a reason to be happy.”

? Sideways Stories from Wayside School ?

17

John

John had light brown hair and a round head. He was Joe’s best friend. John was one of the smartest boys in Mrs. Jewls’s class. But he had one problem. He could only read words written upside down.

Nobody ever wrote anything upside down.

But it was only a little problem. John was still in the high reading group. He just turned his book upside down.

It was easier for John to turn his book upside down than to learn to read correctly. But the easiest way isn’t always the best way.

Mrs. Jewls said, “John, you can’t go on reading like this. You can’t spend the rest of your life turning your books upside down.”

“Why not?” asked John.

“Because I said so,” said Mrs. Jewls. “Besides, what happens when I write something on the blackboard? You can’t turn the blackboard upside down.”

“No, I guess you’re right,” said John.

“I know I’m right,” said Mrs. Jewls. “You are going to have to learn to stand on your head.”

John couldn’t stand on his head. He had given up trying. You would have, too, if you had fallen over as many times as he had.

Joe was John’s best friend. He could stand on John’s head. Every time John fell over, Joe stood on his head. After all, what are best friends for?

“My head is too round, Mrs. Jewls. I can’t stand on it,” said John.

“Of course you can, John,” said Mrs. Jewls. “If Joe can stand on your head, so can you.”

“It’s easy, John,” said Joe.

“I can’t,” John repeated. “I always fall over.”

“Nonsense,” said Mrs. Jewls. “All you have to do is find your center of balance. Now, up you go.”

John put his round head on the floor and swung his legs up. He fell right over. Then Joe stood on John’s head.

“See, John, it’s easy. Nothing to it,” Joe said.

“We’ll help you, John,” said Mrs. Jewls. “Joe, get off John’s head and get me the pillow from under my desk. Nancy, Calvin, come here and give us a hand.”

Mrs. Jewls took the pillow from Joe and set it on the floor. “All right, John, we’ll surround you,” she said. “We won’t let you fall.”