Turkeys We Have Loved and Eaten (and Other Thankful Stuff)

Junie B. Jones #28

by Barbara Park, Denise Brunkus (Illustrator)

“Hilarious. Barbara Park makes reading fun.” —Dav Pilkey, author of Dog Man

Join the World's Funniest First Grader, Junie B, Jones, for a hilarious Thanksgiving feast. This #1 New York Times bestselling chapter book series has been keeping kids laughing—and reading—for more than twenty-five years with over 65 million copies sold!

Gobble, gobble! Room One is getting ready for their very own Thanksgiving feast! There's even a contest to see which room can write the best thankful list. The winners will get a pumpkin pie! Only it turns out being thankful is harder than it looks. Because Junie B. is not actually thankful for Tattletale May. Or squash. Or scratchy pilgrim costumes. And pumpkin pie makes her vomit, anyway. Will Room One win the disgusting pie? Can May and Junie B. find common ground? Or will this Thanksgiving feast turn into a Turkey Day Disaster?

Genres: Childrens, Thanksgiving, Humor, Fiction, Chapter Books, Juvenile, Middle Grade

144 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

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

Reviews

[Shelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have missed you Junie B. Jones!! Such a laugh (several actually) my daughter and I shared while reading this book. You are never to old to read these books. Hysterical!

Junie B. Jones and her fellow first graders are entering the school contest with their classes "Thankful List." The grand prize is a homemade pie from the lunch lady (which none of them want) and bragging rights of being the first, first grade class to ever win (which does sound cool). Only who else will like or appreciate a thankful list written by several six year olds??? I sure did!!

[Marc *Dark Reader with a Thousand Young! Iä!* · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter "made" me read this (she wanted me to read it while she was getting ready for bed, so of course I read it). This was the last of the Junie B. Jones books that she has read, and I think the last one written. She plowed through them all within the last few weeks. On her reading evaluations she tests at a 4-5 grade level, so of course she gravitates to grade 1-2 level books such as these.

It was funny! The kids in Junie B. Jones' class behave as typical 6-year olds, with their random utterances and social interactions, constantly exasperating their teacher, Mr. Scary, who does not seem well prepared to handle that age group. They appear to spend an entire two school days talking about what they are thankful for, most of which is food. My daughter's favorite line: "The napkins were delicious, Ms. [so-and-so]". It made me see that these would be terrific read-aloud books.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of my favorite Junie B. Jones books, but this Thanksgiving adventure puts a smile on my face all the same. This is a series that everyone in my family enjoys again and again.

Though I gotta say, I didn't appreciate all the kids complaining about pumpkin pies, as I feel pumpkin pie is the ultimate food, especially when it's buried under a mountain of whipped cream. Yummmmmmmm!!!!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 7 year old niece's rating 4.5/5 stars.

My niece really enjoys Junie B. Jones, so I took this book out from the library for her. I've always found Junie to be a fun and energetic kid. But the errors/intentional mistakes always drove me crazy (did not want my niece to learn to say things incorrectly). Thankfully in this book there seem to be be much fewer mistakes. Junie writes a journal. So most of the mistakes are there.

This story is about Junie's class of first graders. Their teacher Mr. Scary has asked them to come up with their Thankful List for Thanksgiving. The class comes up with some funny stuff.

I asked my niece what her favorite parts of the book were (she laughed out loud quite a few times). She thought that having toilet paper on your Thankful List was hysterical. And she also loved the money scene.

My favorite part was when Richie Nana from the sleepover story in one of the other books was featured.

If you like Junie B. Jones then definitely check out this book.

[vaishnavi]

Read for the sake of nostalgia (& read on the day I met Ash for the first time in a Barnes & Noble <3).

[Gabriela · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was AWESOME it love when Barbara Park adds the characters perspective from may or Junie B or even Lucille or that grace

[The Dusty Jacket · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear first-grade journal,
This week Room One is making a list of the stuff we are thankful for. And the room with the bestest thankful list will win. Also we are having a Thanksgiving feast on Wednesday. Thanksgiving is a lot of work. –Junie B., First Grader

Junie is thankful for a lot of things. May, the girl who sits next to her, is NOT one of them. While families are preparing their homes for families and feasts, Junie and her classmates are working hard to win the school’s coveted Best Thankful List…even if the prize IS a homemade pumpkin pie that makes almost half the class vomit. What happens next is a list that ranges from exploding biscuits and Nipsy Doodles to toilet paper and stuffed elephants and leads to a lesson in what Thanksgiving is really all about.

Barbara Park’s Junie B. Jones series consisted of 29 books that ran from 1992 to 2013. Young fans will delight in the authenticity of Junie and her classmates as they rank what is the bestest things they are thankful for—much to the chagrin of their teacher, Mr. Scary. From minor disagreements to elephant scuffles, Junie will learn that even when people are different, they can still have things in common.

This book (#28) is a short read with big lessons…especially for adults. Junie may not yet be six years old, but she is wise beyond her years and teaches us that names always sound funnier when you add the word pants at the end, that teachers are just like normal people…almost, and when a teacher smiles, everything feels better. Now that is something we can all be thankful for.

[Laila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm sad this is the last Junie B. Jones book I'll read with my son (it's the last written before the author's death.) We have enjoyed this series so much. This one is really fun, about a Thanksgiving Show and Tell where the kids bring in something they're thankful for. My son especially loved the part about Junie's and May's stuffed animal elephants and what May ends up calling Junie's elephant in an argument (I won't spoil it because it's so funny.) This is a terrific read-aloud series for your kindergartener through second grader.

[Patb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Junie B. This is the first Junie B. book I have listened to. Loved it.

[babyhippoface · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been wondering for several years now if Barbara Park had abandoned her most popular character in favor of writing something new. I, personally, am a big Junie B. fan and have read every book in the series. When I initially stumbled onto my first Junie B. book, my mom and sisters and I sat around and read it aloud to each other until we laughed so hard we couldn't continue. I don't see Junie B. as a bad example. I see her as an energetic kiddo who just needs to develop a little impulse control. As a school librarian, I see kids just like Junie B. every year, and I can't help but love them.

This latest addition to the series is exactly what you would expect. There's nothing too original, nothing too spectacular, just your average Junie B. antics. But kids who love her won't be disappointed. I will admit that after reading 28 JBJ books, I don't find her quite as funny as I did when she was new to me, but she still makes me smile. Example from this latest book: JB names a cooked turkey "Mr. Turkey Pants". Then she tells her classmates, "Names are always funnier if you add the word pants on the end of them." She's right. "Miss Fussy" = kinda funny. "Miss Fussy Pants" = Much Funnier.

One aspect of this book that I did really like was the Thankful List the kids created. You'll find no predictable clothes, house, family, and friends here. The kids in Mr. Scary's class are much more appreciative of exploding biscuits and something fantastic-sounding called "Nipsy Doodles". I love that Mr. Scary resists the urge to "correct" their suggestions and instead allows them to list what the first graders truly see as wonderful. He sees the humor in the situation, gets in the spirit of things, and writes some of their crazier items on the list with a wink and a smile. And it is a pretty spectacular list.

Bottom Line: humor in expected Junie B. fashion, and a fun addition to classroom Thanksgiving activities.

[Note to Self: I have got to get my hands on a bag of those Nipsy Doodles. Are they chocolatey and cakey, like Ding Dongs? Are they cheesy and crunchy, like Cheetos? I gotta know. This may warrant a letter to Barbara Park. I'll address it to "Mrs. Writer Pants".]

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read every Junie B. Jones book, but I've read some of her books from when she was in kindergarten and first grade. This adventure is a first-grade adventure, and it is set during the week of Thanksgiving. Her first grade class is participating in a school contest, each student can contribute up to two things they are thankful for. The best "thankful list" wins a pumpkin pie--no matter if the class likes pumpkin pie or not. Junie's class is very, very honest. Their thankful list reflects that! On the list are things like exploding cans of biscuits, toilet paper, whipped cream, dog treats, crayons, and remote controls.
I loved it because it was funny. I loved hearing Junie B. and her classmates talk.

Favorite quote: "I am thankful for the kind of cranberry jelly that comes in a can...only even when you take it out of the can, it still keeps looking exactly like the can!" I looked at my teacher. "That stuff is like magic," I said. "I do not know how farmers grow it in that shape." Mr. Scary looked at me a real long time. I looked back at my list. (11)

[Julie R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have love/hate relationship with Junie B. She is a fairly annoying kid, and the writing style is often irritating (yes, I realize I am not the target audience). But I love this particular book in the series. It is a reminder to be thankful for everything - even if it might seem insignificant and silly to someone else. The story also reminds us that there is a good chance that the person who irritates you the most loves and values some of the same things that you do, and this common love can be a bridge to create a new relationship. Finally, if you take another chance on something you dislike (even just for the sake of being polite) you might have a change of heart.

[Ashley]

This is the only Junie B. Jones book I had never read because it came out so much later than the other ones. It was fun to read in her voice again, and to remember things I haven’t thought about in a long time

[Dominique · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I seen this on our bookshelf and realized I hadn't read it yet so I decided to read it X)
I grew up with Junie B. Jones so I enjoyed it.

[Julie R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't always love Junie B, but I do love this book. A great reminder to be thankful for everything (even biscuits that explode).

[OjoAusana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ive actually never read any of these books before and got it to read as a bedtime book for babysitting, pretty cute for the most part.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a first time reading this Junie B. book for me. I was 17 when it came out so it was a little below what I was reading at that point. All that to say, my students and I loved reading this one before Thanksgiving break. I don’t think anyone will understand the true joy of reading to 17 first graders and watching them get so caught up in such a fun little story. Always a favorite time of day and a feeling of true joy to see and hear them want to read more.

[isla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! I really like Thanksgiving so this book was right up my alley!

[Lee]

I love Junie B. but why in the world do the adults always act like she's an odd child? Most children act like this. 🤣

[Emili · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been so fun to revisit this series from my childhood!

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Junie B. and her classmates develop a list of things they are grateful for!

[Julianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 4 year old thinks this is the funniest Junie B. Jones we have read so far. It is nice to read something that we both think is funny. I'm sure this isn't the last one we will read.

[Theresa White]

1. Junie B. Jones first grade class, Mr. Scarys’ class is entering a school wide competition to see who can come up with a list of what they are most thankful for. Mr. Scary tells the class that the prize for winning is homemade pumpkin pie that the lunch lady was going to make. The students in Junie’s class starts to make a list and they realize that Mr. Scary does not approve of the things they say. But soon Mr. Scary realizes that the first graders are going to be thankful of different thins because they don’t have as much freedom as adults or older students. The class list was finished and on the last day of school before Thanksgiving they were getting ready for there classroom dinner the schools principal is pounding on there door. When the class asks what he is hanging up he tells them that they have won the contest and that they will get there prize later. When Mr. Scary asked how they won it was simply stated that this was the first time that a classroom list was a honest and genuine list that they knew they kids had thought of it all. Junie and the rest of her classmates realize that even though they all may not be friends that they could all be thankful for some of the same things.
2. 1) Prioritize Mr. Scary’s class list according to what you like the most to the least. 2) What is the most important thing that Junie learned about being thankful? 3) What might have happened if they didn’t put the things that they were really thankful for and instead put up things that people always tell them they should be thankful for? 4) How does the class list compare to your list? 5) Do you agree that they should of wont the contest with their list? Why?
3. Park, B. (2012). Juunie B., First Grader: Turkeys We Have Loved and Eaten (and Other Thankful Stuff). New York: Random House.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 28th book in the Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park and Denise Brunkus. I'd read all of the previous books in the series with our girls, but they looked upon this book with disdain. After all, our youngest is in second grade and they had no interest in reading this book with me. So purely for nostalgia's sake (and the desire for a few chuckles), I read this book on my own.

This is a humorous story, very similiar to the other books in the series. It has a Thanksgiving theme, although the things that the children are thankful for are quite in line with things a six year old would think of. The narrative brought Junie B. back to life for me and I realized that I'd missed her spunky and candid way of talking and her not-too mischieviousness. Overall, it was an entertaining and quick read.

interesting quotes:

"We're only six," he said. "We don't really have any freedom." (p. 19)

"Talk about this later is the school word for getting yelled at when there's more time." (p. 33)

"It just shows us that even when people are quite different from each other, they can still have things in common." (p. 57)

"'Cause sometimes teachers are just like normal people, almost!" (p. 73)

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was thinking of reading this aloud, but I didn't get around to it, so I just read it myself. My first Junie B. book in a long time.

Junie B. (and the other kids) are very funny, as always. I liked the stories behind the things they are thankful for as they work on a class list of thankfulness, and the Philip Johnny Bob incidents. The list of things the kids are thankful for does feel like an accurate list of what first graders would be thankful for.

I still might end up reading this aloud sometime.

----------------------------------------------------

Aug. 17th I started reading it aloud because everyone wanted to hear it. I guess I should have just read it aloud in the first place.

Completed on Aug. 25th. Reading it aloud is even better than reading it myself, because of the audience reactions. The laughter of others at the right parts just makes the book funnier.

[Izzy Febbraro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always loved this series and I think this book is perfect to have your students read before thanksgiving. I love the exciting and funny concept of the Julie B. Jones series and think they are perfect for children ages 5-7. In this book Mr. Scary’s class enters a contest where they have to make a list of things they are most thankful for. The students list is different than what Mr.Scary would’ve imagined because they’re just kids so things that they are thankful for are different than what adults would say they’re thankful for. The students end up winning the contest because of they’re honesty with what they are thankful for and I think this is a great book for teaching children about honesty.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ya gotta love Junie B. Jones, I believe. What's not to love about a girl who says she absolutely doesn't want to be a pilgrim because their costumes are hottish and sweatish.

And what's not to love about Room One's Thankful List which includes
rainbow sprinkles
the box of 64 Crayola crayons
snausages
the Cartoon Network

I'm not sure I would want to be Mr. Scary, the teacher in Room One, but I would definitely love being a regular observer.

My favorite passage: "Woo-hoo!" I said to Herbert. "This is a dream come true! A whole entire day with no learning!"
Followed by: 'Cause sometimes teachers are just like normal people, almost.

[Rachael Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is possibly one of my favorite Junie B. books. I love that the kids actually talk about what they are thankful for. I think it's a great lesson in gratitude! Besides, I am also grateful for popping biscuits and toilet paper!

[Emily Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Junie B Jones and this is the best one yet!!!!!!!

[Clara Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the thanksgiving themed stuff. I liked that Junie B. Jones and May sort of became friends.