John Sigwald, writing for School Library Journal, indicated that the stories in Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger "will surely tickle the funny bones of Sachar's fans", given the book's "hilarity, malevolence, romance, relentless punning, goofiness, inspiration, revenge, and poignancy".

[2] Discussing the book's organization and other mechanics, Sigwald noted that the chapters in Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger "are miraculously conflated into a semicoherent story".

[2] Publishers Weekly, however, found that "the book's pace and punch seem to slacken midway through", with "the funniest vignettes [...] in the first half".

[1] While comparing the book to those authored by Roald Dahl, Kirkus Reviews similarly mentioned that Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger's "humor is often anarchic, and sometimes in questionable taste, which will make the story a hit with early and middle grade readers".

[2] Kirkus Reviews also found that "Schick's animated b&w drawings provide their own punch at the chapter openings".