Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus

Junie B. Jones #1

by Barbara Park, Lana Quintal (Narrator)

Meet the World's Funniest Kindergartner—Junie B. Jones!

Remember when it was scary to go to school? With over 50 million books in print, Barbara Park's New York Times bestselling chapter book series, Junie B. Jones, is a classroom favorite and has been keeping kids laughing—and reading—for over 20 years! In the 1st Junie B. Jones book, it's Junie B.'s first day and she doesn't know anything. She's so scared of the school bus and the meanies on it that when it's time to go home, she doesn't.

USA TODAY:
"Junie B. is the darling of the young-reader set."

Publisher's Weekly:
"Park convinces beginning readers that Junie B.—and reading—are lots of fun."

Kirkus Reviews:
"Junie's swarms of young fans will continue to delight in her unique take on the world….A hilarious, first-rate read-aloud."

Time Magazine:
"Junie B. Jones is a feisty six-year-old with an endearing penchant for honesty." - See more at: http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.co...


Grades: K-3
0 Hours and 45 Minutes

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Chapter Books, Realistic Fiction, Humor, School, Middle Grade

1 pages, Audiobook

First published July 1, 1992

About the author

Barbara Lynne Park was an American author of children's books.

Reviews

[Denise · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have heard so much about how great these books and so we decided to check them out. I can't think of a single thing from this book that was a "good example" for the kids. None of the people say anything kind or helpful. Many things are described as "stupid, "hate," and "dumb." My kids don't talk that way .. do others really? Do we want to encourage this? The kids and I talked about how it is sometimes fun to read about someone doing things they are not supposed to do and how it can be fun to imagine it and not actually do it. But even they were not impressed with this book and said that everyone is not nice. In fact my 7 year old said she "dislikes" (happily surprised she did not co-opt "hate") this book. I also find it strange when authors chose to have their characters speak incorrectly to be "authentic" but I chose to read the sentences in the correct form so as not to confuse my kids. I understand that perhaps the humor is meant to be over-the-top (and the incorrect words are supposed to be cute .. is it written that way for adults or kids?) .. but it did not work for us.

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was probably the most hilarious series of all of childhood, and is, guess what, still hilarious.

i am probably as funny as i am because of this book. which is to say, endlessly amusing.

we all owe a lot to Barbara Park. (namely, my stellar personality.)

[Maggie Stoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS SERIES IS GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ITS AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ITS EASY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SORRY THIS WILL TAKE A WHILE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Has there every been a series more annoying or a character more bratlike than Junie B. Jones? I think not.

[Mandy J. Hoffman · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are some books that giving my honest thoughts about does not bother me at all. But this one is different. It's with sadness that I report my thoughts and thus place this book (& most likely series) into my "do not read" category.

While I laughed hysterically at many points as I listened to this with my daughter (audio book!), I also was quite bothered by the use of "stupid" and "hate". Junie B mentioned several times that she hated one of her classmates and used the term stupid about multiple things. While I don't have a problem with those words, I do have a problem with they way they were used and of course the fact that a 5 year old was using them.

So despite the cute stories and great humor, I will not let my daughters listen or read this series and I would encourage other mom's to not let their daughters either. My children pick up to quickly wrong things to do, say, and think. I don't need to teach them to say they hate people when they do things they don't like, nor do they need to be taught to call random objects stupid just because the don't like it at the moment.

I hope I can find another series that will be just as funny without the bad influence. Or better yet...it would be great if the author would revise the books!

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

I LOVED reading these with my daughter when she was younger. In fact she was the one who suggested I write a review of the books. She said she has many good memories of reading but that these books were the ones that made her laugh the most. She also enjoyed the fact that I was sincerely laughing along with her.

Now I know that some people HATE these books and think they set a terrible example for how a child should behave. Maybe so, but I kept an open dialogue with my daughter explaining that while some of the things Junie B. did were funny that she shouldn't behave that way. My daughter understood this and we just enjoyed reading and having a really good laugh at some of Junie's antics. I do feel that perhaps Junie's frequent use of words like "stupid" or "dumb" etc. could have been reduced but again I explained to my child that we want to avoid the use of those words. However, I wasn't naive enough to think that my daughter would never misbehave or say a bad word. These also weren't the only books we read, keeping our home library well-rounded with many other books.

"Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus" was the first in a series of many. Junie is starting kindergarten and was told by other students that she would be teased and have chocolate milk poured on her head or worse if she took the bus. Junie B. does everything to avoid taking the bus to school and hilarity ensues. In many ways Barbara Park captured the voice of a Kindergarten aged child perfectly. Granted one that misbehaves quite often but even so a very funny little girl.
So while we really enjoyed reading these books and had many laughs I was able to use some of Junie B's antics as a learning tool. My daughter is now 15 and in my opinion a well-rounded and polite girl with a voracious reading appetite.

So all that being said I highly recommend as sometimes some silliness is in order.

[Sunshine · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a parent reading young literature with young children, I am in search of characters who's traits, morals, personality, intellect, humor, or strength are something I want to see emulated in my own children. Junie B. is NOT that person. Were my children to embark on even the slightest level of mischief that Miss Jones gets involved in, I would not be able to show my face at the next PTA meeting/parent-teacher conference. While I understand the desire of authors to "speak" to their audience, good behavior, manners, and discipline are something that should be a part of every child's life, even fictional kindergarten girls.

[Lauren Tortorelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Junie B is starting school! She is excited for it but she's not so sure about the riding the bus part of the adventure.

I know some parents don't like Junie B because she is quite the trouble maker but I found this absolutely hilarious. Park's characterization of a kindergartener is so spot on its eerie. I'm pretty sure I have a couple of Junie Bs in some of my classes. My only critique, and it's one that I would have to really consider if I want to read this book out loud at some point, is the liberal use of the word stupid. It's right there in the title. There is no escaping it. I personally have no problems reading the word, especially as it is being used to describe mainly a bus. However, I get a lot of kiddos that tell me, in their most serious voices, that is it a bad word. Is it? That depends on the usage. Calling your friend stupid? Not nice. Calling the fact that the cafeteria only serves pizza once a week stupid? Yup. Sounds right to me. It's a tricky line though, especially with the young ones who don't fully understand the different yet. It's a great book for those just starting to read chapter books.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Junie B. Jones is quite possibly the most obnoxious five-year-old I've ever read about. This is my first exposure to the character... and it might very well be my last.

There's nothing cute or funny about a child who uses bad grammar, decides to hate people, thinks she knows better than adults, and hollers like a toddler whenever she wants something. Honestly, she sometimes seems like she's in the throes of the "terrible twos". I was cringing as I read about her and her mom meeting with the teacher. If I were that mother, I would've wanted to crawl under a rock and die; Junie B.'s behaviour is an indictment of her parents' non-existent parenting.

I'd heard of this series, of course, and since I've had fairly good luck with another series about little girls in this age group, I thought I might like reading about this character and her exploits. But despite the fact that they're only a year apart in age, Junie B. Jones and Nancy Clancy (of the Fancy Nancy books) are nothing alike. Whereas Nancy is a sweet, precocious child who's intelligent enough to learn from her mistakes, Junie B. is a raging brat that I kind of hoped would get permanently stuck in the supply closet. She calls the principal "baldy" and keeps referring to another kid as "that boy I can beat up". Well done, Mr. and Mrs. Jones. Well done, indeed.

Nope. This is a definite miss. Well, now I know what Junie B. Jones is all about... so I can avoid her in the future.

[Rachel A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favourite books when I was younger. Barbara Park captured the voice/thought process of a child so well, and the book is hilarious! Even now, in my twenties, I still enjoy reading this series because it is so funny.

I have seen among other reviewers some complaints that Junie B. is not a good role model for kids, for a variety of reasons. Her choice of language (especially "hate" and "stupid") is one of the main complaints, however I think it is perfectly appropriate. If I recall correctly, Junie B. is often reprimanded for using these words, which makes it clear that they are not nice. Parents and teachers could also choose to engage the children in a discussion about the language, if they are concerned.

The same goes for worries that kids will start copying Junie B.'s behaviour. When I first read the books, I was about the same age as Junie B. was and I never even considered acting like her. I think we should give children a little more credit than that. If adults are really concerned, they could talk to their children about what else Junie B. could have done instead. In fact, I think most of the books in the series emphasize that by showing how much trouble she gets in, and how easily the problem could be resolved by talking to the adults.

All in all, this is an excellent and hilarious series, and well worth reading. Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus is the perfect example of the series -- funny, interesting, and something that children her age could identify with. While we might not all hide out in the art closet to avoid the bus, I'm sure there are many kids that feel like they should.

[DD · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am extremely disappointed with this book and we are half way through. I am reading it to my 6 year old and Junie B. has a bad attitude. We struggle with our six year old and her attitude and I don't want her to get the impression from this book that it is ok to treat and say bad things when you have a bad attitude. The words hate, stupid, and dumb are used often. Again, these are all words we tell our daughter NOT to use. We have stopped reading it because I started to have to edit it while I read and then I was editing it so much it wasn't making sense.

I want something more positive and uplifting for my daughter to relate to so she can become a better person. I am sure the end probably is redeemable, but we can't take any more to get there. I hope we are teaching our daughter to be discerning as she reads and learn it is admirable to put a book down that does not agree with our moral code.

[Josie J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rereading for fun, these were my first chapter books so they have a special place in my heart.

[Grapie Deltaco · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m on a nostalgia kick and these books are so much funnier as an adult

[Shannon Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was Awesome!!! pages 69

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about a little girl named Junie B. Jones and her first day of kindergarten. She has to ride the bus to and from school. Only guess what? She wants to avoid the rumors of the meanies who poke and spill milk on kids, so she decides not to go home on the bus. Her "after school" journey is a wonderful recollection of how we probably used to think when we were in kindergarten. The illustrations in this book are wonderfully drawn to fit the story; Almost in a comical way. The illustrator catches the parts of the story that were worth drawing. I gave this book 5 stars. I along with my k-2nd graders enjoyed this book read aloud. We were all laughing quite a bit.

This book is chalk full of writing prompts on how children should and shouldn't act in school. The k-1st grade students would definitely connect with the book because Junie B. is in kindergarten. Second graders can read this book independently. Because the text is big and the chapters are short, the reading is a good opportunity to help children learn to read with emotion.

Grade: K-2nd (Scholastic indicates this as a 3-5 grade interest level, but I disagree),Lexile: 380L, Guided Reading Level: M

[Lindsay Antikainen · Rating 1 out of 5]

What to say about this book? I read this to my five-year olds after hearing so many good things about what a great series this is for kids. There were some amusing moments in the story, but overall, I pretty much despise Junie B. Jones! She is everything I don't want my kids to be. Stupid, hate, and dumb were probably the most frequently used words in this book, and we spent just as much time talking about how we do not behave like Junie B. as we spent talking about the actual story. I read another review that said it was a positive that the story gave parents the opportunity to discuss the behavior with kids before kids misbehave themselves, so I guess that's an opportunity, but I still wouldn't recommend this as something to read with your young children.

[Lizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only gave this book 3 stars because I ride the bus and it is not nice to call it a "stupid smelly bus".

[Peyton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally I don’t log the books I read with my class but this was a chapter book. And it’s a classic. Had to do it!

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had heard of Junie B. Jones, and the books sounded pretty silly, so I had never read any. But then I sat in on story time in Jordan Bors’ first-grade class. I couldn’t stop laughing! Mrs. Bors was reading the first book in the series, and I had missed the beginning of Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus, and the kids were laughing as much as I was! And they were begging for “just one more chapter” over and over! What a testament to a book! So I had to get the book from the library right away.

Want to know what Junie B. Jones is like? Here she is meeting her kindergarten teacher:

Her name was Mrs. — I can’t remember the rest of it. Mrs. said I looked cute.

“I know it,” I said. “That’s because I have on my new shoes.”

I held my foot way high up in the air.

“See how shiny they are? Before I put them on, I licked them.”

...“Watch yourself, missy,” said Mother.

Missy’s my name when I’m in trouble.

Yeah, so it’s like that. I’m sure Mrs. Jones has a lot of practice calling Junie B. “missy” — and being mortified.

As a teacher, I would be horrified if I had a student like Junie B. Jones in my own class. As a mom, I had a modified Junie B. of my own, so I completely sympathize with her mother. But as a reader, I can’t get enough of her. The best children’s books are totally wasted on children, and this one fits that category. Highly recommended, even more for parents than children.

I almost forgot! Illustrator Denise Brunkus deserves kudos, as well. I adore the drawings of this hyperactive 5-year-old with flyaway hair — just how you’d imagine her.

And special thanks to Jordan for this great discovery.

[Izzy Brogaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I thought:
This book was really good. It reminded me of when I was little. I used to read these all the time. It is funny because the main character doesn't use proper grammar, so you have to get used to reading like that.
Plot:
Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus is about a girl starting kindergarten. When she goes to see her classroom and meet her teacher, she learns that she has to ride the bus… alone. Junie B. doesn't know anyone on that stupid smelly bus, that’s what she calls it. A boy named Jim is forced to sit by her. She doesn't like Jim. When she gets to school a girl sits in the chair that she wanted. Someone told Junie B. that after school on the bus you get chocolate milk poured on your head. That scared her even more. So after school when the bus kids were lining up to leave the class, Junie B. was last in line so she hid under the teachers desk. After everyone was gone she moved to the supply closet. Junie B. got thirsty so she peaked out the door to make sure nobody was coming. She got a drink and was wandering the halls when she saw the library and the nurses office. She sharpened pencils in the library, and played nurse in the nurses office. She then went back to her room and hid in the supply closet again. Her teacher and other people came rushing in looking for her. She was eventually found and her parents were called.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to kids in elementary school, second grade and under. They are great books for early reading. They are also easy reads.

[Cassandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really don't understand why this series is so popular. Maybe I picked the wrong book as my first exposure to Junie B. Jones. But there was nothing good in this story. The girl is a brat, calls people names, and I wasn't very impressed with the parenting. I'm also approaching this from the perspective of parenting a 13 year old adopted child who needs to learn English. I opened up to a random page and looked at the first words of each paragraph - I, and, and, then, after, and, I, then, then, and. I don't want to encourage this style of speaking in my child, starting every sentence with the word "and" or "then."

[Rebecca Hawkins · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is horrible for young readers! It teaches bad grammar and pronouncation habits! I used to love it when I was younger, but as an ESL teacher now, I dislike it very much!

[Vivian Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so funny and so mysterious 😂

[Dawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

My six-year-old daughter signed this out of the library. When my eight-year-old daughter saw the book on the table she commented that she'd read one and her sister shouldn't be reading it because it was a very bad book. I picked it up and read it and signed several others in the series out of the library as well to check. Junie B. Jones is a rude disrespectful little girl with wishy washy adults in her life who just laugh at her and offer no guidance when she acts like a horrible brat. She calls everyone and everything dumb and stupid, including her father in one of the books. The dialogue is dreadful. I'm pretty sure I've never met a 5 year old who has such a terrible vocabulary if English was their first language. I can't believe that this book was written for this age group. I can see an older child enjoying this kind of humor and having enough filter to understand that we don't talk to others this way, but the reading level of this book is for about a 6 or 7 year old. For that reading level I think these books are horribly inappropriate and if teachers are giving these to children to read they should not complain if they are treated with disrespect afterwords since that is exactly what these books demonstrate.

[Jayden · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Junie B Jones books are great for older kids! Yes I know Junie B books are for 1st graders but if a first grader reads to many of Junie B's book they could start acting like Junie!!! Or talking like Junie B. However since I'm older, so I understand that Junie B is bad at spelling and is VERY unrealistic. Therefor I laughed. I laughed at her terrible behavior and the things she says, and I can read it in a day! However I being in 7th grade look CRAZY reading a book 6 grades to young for me. So that's why Barbra Parks should make a Junnie B Jones book for middle schoolers!!!! Junnie B all grown up!!!! Oh let me tell you, if those books came out I would read them all!!

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was the 1st Junie B. book that i have read.

[Dichotomy Girl]

So my 5 year old has been super into listening to Audiobooks lately. This occurred after I let her check out the first Judy Moody book from the library, knowing absolutely nothing about it, and now she is obsessed. (She has listened to 7 of them in less than 2 weeks).

Because I heard mixed reviews about his one, which seemed to be a bit more age appropriate, I thought I would read it before letting her listen to it. And It really left me with mixed feelings.

There is no question that Junie B. has a negative sassy mouth that I would never put up with. BUT, it's hard to tell in such a short book if this is her normal character, or simply a defense mechanism against the scary new change in her life (Kindergarten and riding the bus, and being around unfamiliar kids).

On the one hand I am horrified at the thought of my daughter reading this and getting ideas that this kind of behavior and attitude would be OK, and for that reason I wish that there had been a little more severe consequences to her very naughty behavior.

My second issue was...and it seems somewhat ridiculous to even say this, but Junie B. who is supposed to be almost 6 came off (to me) as quite a bit younger. My daughter is an only child and fairly mature for her age, so that might be a factor. But the way Junie talks and acts, reminds me of my daughter at age 3-4 not at almost 6.

Ultimately, I think I will continue to read each book of this series before my daughter listens to it, so that I can discuss the contents with her.

[Juso · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus” by Barbara Park is a great realistic fiction book for beginning chapter book readers! It is Junie B’s first day of school and she is not happy about riding the school bus. First, when she gets on the bus, a girl is saving the seat for someone else. Then Meanie Jim gets on and they do not get along. When they are getting off the bus, everyone is pushing Junie B and she even gets stepped on. Once she gets to school, she has an argument with everyone! They do class work, play at recesses, and even take a tour of the school. At the end of the day, Lucille tells her that mean kids on the bus like to dump chocolate milk on student’s heads. At that point, Junie B was over it and she would not get on the bus! Therefore, she snuck out and went underneath the teacher’s desk and in the supply cabinet to hide. As a result, everyone in the school begins to look for Junie B, but no one can find her since all of the doors are locked and she is alone in the classroom. However, when she has an emergency and can’t go the bathroom, she calls the police! Her mother comes to the school is very upset with Junie B. In order to help Junie B. feel more comfortable with riding the school bus, her mother finds her a nice friend to sit with on the bus. As a result, riding the bus does not seem so bad for Junie B. anymore.

Two aspects of writing that are evident in this book are character and conflict. According to Fletcher, a great tool for developing character is the use of dialogue. Therefore, the author did a great job of using dialogue to develop her characters. For example, Junie B. uses words like “dumb”, “Stupid”, and “hate” in her dialogues and monologues all throughout the book. When the author did this, it gave me an idea of who this character is and what his/her personality is like. Another aspect of writing that was utilized in this book is conflict. I think this book had all sorts of conflicts. Internal conflict because Junie B. was scared to be on the bus and external conflict because she kept getting into arguments with everyone. As a teacher, I would use this book as a mentor text in my classroom. I would use to teach students about developing character and the importance of conflict. I could have the students use the text to figure out examples of character development and conflict in the text, and then I could have the students apply in their own writing. They could maybe create their own character and describing who he/she is through dialogue/ monologue. Also, I could continue to have the students explore with that character by having them add a conflict that this character must face.

[Ally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not me getting nostalgic over when I and my first-grade class used to sit on the carpet and beg our teacher to read this to us.

~~

I can totally relate to not wanting to be on the bus XD Once when I was in Kindergarten I and two other kids (a bit older than me) were told to ride a bus that I knew I wasn't supposed to ride, so I kept on trying to tell my teacher that I was supposed to ride bus 9. She told me to be quiet so I was. Well, when I got on the bus I and the two other kids were the last ones and I started sobbing. The bus driver told us there had been a mixup. It was nearing 5:30 and I was usually off by 4. Not only that, my parents had no clue where I was and were calling the school frantically trying to figure out what happened to their daughter. They took us back to the school and our parents picked us up. I'm pretty sure the principal walked me to the bus for the next few days. I learned that, later, it was because my grandmother reigned hell on them after I told her that I had told them I wasn't on the right bus but they wouldn't let me get off and wouldn't even check.

So, yeah, completely understand hating the schoolbus cause I was terrified that that would happen again.

[Nathan Bartos · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There are those who believe that the value of a children's book can be measured only in terms of the moral lessons it tries to impose or the perfect role models it offers. Personally, I happen to think that a book is of extraordinary value if it gives the reader nothing more than a smile or two. In fact, I happen to think that's huge." -Barbara Park
Junie B. Jones was far and away my favorite series as a kid, and I think it played a big part in the sense of humor I have today. I wanted to re-read this to see if I could still feel comfortable recommending this. I absolutely do; it's hilarious and fun and fairly timeless.