Clear parallels to the Wayside School books. A bit off kilter. Each kid gets their own short story. Jahn-Clough avoids the tendency of these books to moralize. Instead we just see these kids being themselves to their utmost.

This quirky little chapter book is perfect for early middle grade readers. For my students who prefer a faster read, a humorous read, something fun to read, I will put this in their hands. Each chapter tells a tale of a child living on Cattywampus Street. The tales are engaging, humorous, silly, and if sometimes a tad bit dark, all have a happy little ending Each tale includes a black and white illustration. I give this 3 1/2 stars. I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a collection of quirky, sometimes creepy short stories about kids that live in the neighborhood of Cattywampus Street. Many years ago, we lived near Seattle and we used to see Tim Noah - a kid's singer/songwriter as often as we could. He had a song called Kaddywompas - and this book reminded me of that well-loved song. Plus - the book kept popping up in recommendations so I thought I would check it out. Fortunately, I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's Publishing through NetGalley.!
There are are eleven stories in this relatively short book - each focusing on an event in the life of a child who lives near Cattywampus Street and many referencing Waddlebee's Toy Store which is, indeed, on Cattywampus Street. There are also illustrations which might make you think this book is for the kid just moving into chapter books from beginning readers but I don't believe that is the target audience -- this is a 3rd, 4th, 5th grade kind of book for a couple of reasons.
First, the vocabulary is pretty challenging. For example, "paint is peeling off of the wooden clapboards" of the Waddlebee's Toy Store. Advanced vocab is great - but might be discouraging for a younger reader.
Second, some of the stories are a bit creepy. The author warns you that the story is going to be creepy but I think they are something an older reader would truly appreciate. Parents die, kids get eaten and locked in trunks and turn into frogs... Nothing wrong with any of that - just something to bear in mind.
So if you have a reader that has enjoyed Sachar's Wayside Stories or one that has read all of Roald Dahl's books and is looking for more, I would hand them a copy of this book. It's entertaining and definitely a bit cattywampus itself!

With thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for an early copy in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars. I would recommend this book to middle grade readers who like short stories that are unusual, sad, scary, and a bit dark (one story has a ghost that comes after the main character with a knife). I liked how even though the stories could all stand alone, the characters popped up in the other stories from time to time. Definitely a unique mix of short stories in the vein of Roald Dahl or Lemony Snicket.

I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's Publishing through NetGalley.
These tales take readers on interesting adventures that are a bit odd and unusual. Jahn-Clough shares a story about each child on Cattywampus Street that can be read separately or as an overall group. The kids all know each other and weave through other's stories at times. Middle grade readers will appreciate the darker humor and the slightly skewed events as the stories unfold. Some of the stories flow smoother than others but each offers a unique glimpse of the main child character.