Junie B., First Grader: Toothless Wonder

Junie B. Jones #20

by Barbara Park, Denise Brunkus

“Hilarious. Barbara Park makes reading fun.” —Dav Pilkey, author of Dog Man
 
Barbara Park’s #1  New York Times  bestselling chapter book series, Junie B. Jones, has been keeping kids laughing—and reading—for more than twenty-five years. Over 65 million copies sold!
 
Meet the World’s Funniest First Grader—Junie B. Jones! One of Junie B.’s top front teeth is loose! Only Junie B. is not that thrilled about this development. Because what if she looks like toothless Uncle Lou? And even worse . . . what’s all this tooth fairy business? Like, who is this woman, really? And what does she do with all those used teeth? So many questions, so little time.
 
USA Today :
“Junie B. is the darling of the young-reader set.”
 
Publishers 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 :
“Junie B. Jones is a feisty six-year-old with an endearing penchant for honesty.”

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

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

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

Reviews

[Kasey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite Junie B. Jones books. I really love the conclusion Junie B. comes to about what the tooth fairy does with all the teeth she collects from girls and boys who have lost them. I am planning on using the same reasoning with my children.

[Hello Kitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hilarious book of the account of Junie B., who lost her tooth. She wonders what the tooth fairy does with the teeth she gathers. A wonderful read for children who are about to lose their first tooth, or ones who have baby brothers. Cute, creative writing style.
Unit on losing a tooth, families.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly nostalgic moment for me

[Megan Krom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading slump hit so hard I had to return to my roots

[Nora Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Junie B Jones has a loose tooth, but she doesn’t want her tooth to come out. She can’t help it and she keeps wiggling it! This was a fun book a the first one I read with my dad!

[Taylor-Marie Leman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A CLASSIC

[Kimberlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: "Junie B., First Grader:Toothless Wonder"
Author: Barbara Park
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pub. Date: 2003

Genre: Realistic Fiction/Chapter Book
Grades: 2-5

This story is about a girl named Junie B. Jones and her losing a front top tooth. The teacher told her that this is a very special thing to lose a top front tooth. Junie B. will be the first in her class to lose this tooth. At first she felt that it was such an honor until she worries about how she would look once it comes out. After the tooth come out, June B. refuses to put her tooth under her pillow, because she does not know what the tooth fairy will do with the tooth. A few days will pass as she tries to find out the truth about the tooth fairy. She didn't want the tooth fairy to just throw the tooth away. Eventually she decides to put the tooth under her pillow, but she is still nervous that the tooth fairy is really a witch. The next morning Junie B. is relieved that her baby brother cut a tooth during the night. Junie B. realized that the tooth fairy recycled her tooth and gave her baby tooth to her brother.

Activities:
1. The students will be given the opportunity to read other Junie B. Jones books. We will then have a readers club meeting to discuss the different books. Each group can share what the liked most about their book.

2. The students will do a round robin discussion with having cards on questions to ask about the setting, main characters, main idea, problem, outcome, etc.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

When reading this book, I was flashing back to when my teacher would read chapter books out loud to us toward the end of the day. In this book, Junie B. Jones's is the first student to lose her tooth in Room One. She is terrified to leave her tooth with the tooth fairy, because she thinks its the "tooth witch". She takes her spit cup to class on Monday after the weekend and shows the children and then shows them her missing whole. Her teacher gave her a gold star for loosing her tooth. In the end, Junie B. Jones's ends up believing in the tooth fairy and her baby brother Ollie gets a new tooth.
I think this book would be good for the last Kindergarten year into the First Grade possibly Second Grade year. It would help children with loosing teeth for the first time and what to semi expect. Even though people don't always do the same thing for the loosing teeth so it would be more of a possible new cultural experience to some children.

[Mickeymouse12]

I LOVE JUNOE B JONES BOOKS NO MATTER WHICH ONE THEY ARE I WILL STILL ALWAYS LOVE JUNIE B JONES THAT WOULD NEVER STOP BUT THIS WAS ONE OF THE BEST BOOK SHE MADE I LIKE THIS WELL ALL OF THEM BUT THIS IS MY FAVORITE ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I must be the only person in the world that doesn't care for Junie B. Jones books. I don't really like the style of the narrative, and Junie B. kind of seems like... a moron.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Junie B. loses her first tooth and learns about the tooth fairy.

[Stacy Renee (LazyDayLit) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Junie B. Jones loses her first baby tooth but isn't convinced about the tooth fairy.

This is probably one of the 'scarier' sequels in this series, with Junie B. a little afraid that the tooth fairy is really a witch and posing questions about what the fairy does with the teeth.

[Louise Heywood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was cool because Junie B. Jones pulled out her own tooth!

[Lee]

The level of anxiety this poor child has.

[Ainsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cult CLASSIC. Don’t hate on my girl JBJ. Started reading this to the kids I babysit and then I read the whole thing on my own. No shame here!!!!! Bye bye tooth!!!!!

[Myla · Rating 2 out of 5]

I rated it a 2 because it was okay but at the end of it it was not that good

[shtalkingmushroom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This girl is funny af😂😂
(Read this for Allison’s hw)

[Nicole Brandmire · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Miss B! It’s independent reading time, so you need to be reading too!!”

My kids were impressed at how fast I read the book! Little did they know I’m a 21 year old reading a book for 7 year olds…

[Alexandra Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely hilarious, laughed out loud multiple times and couldn't stop updating my coworkers on the tooth fairy suspicious and Junie B's "I don't trust that tooth fairy lady... What is she doing with the teeth?! 🤨"

[Camryn Morin · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this 20th book of the Junie B. Jones series, Junie B is about to lose her first front tooth on the top! She can’t believe she is the first student in Room One to lose a tooth in that spot. In this story, Junie B. and her classmates also learn from Dan, Dan the Soda Can about recycling. When Junie B. loses her tooth she is initially scared that the tooth fairy is actually a tooth witch and will eat her tooth. Finally, Junie B. has the courage to put her tooth under pillow and she gets money from the tooth fairy (and she wasn’t a witch)! The morning she found her tooth fairy money, Mother and Daddy also tell Junie B. that her little brother Ollie finally has his first tooth. Then Junie B. connects the dots and realizes the tooth fairy recycled her tooth and gave it to Ollie. She made the connection to class that it’s like how Dan, Dan the Soda Can was a regular can and then recycled into an orange can. This early chapter book is easy to read and relatable to school and beyond since it also talks about loosing a tooth. Many kids at the reading level to read early chapter books are close to 1st grade and the book is written from a first grader’s perspective so it is easy for them to follow. Junie B. is funny and enjoyable for me as a future teacher to reread too!

[Livvie Esslinger]

This is a book about Junie B. Jones loosing her first tooth, and the emotions she experiences during this time. She is the first person to lose a tooth in her first grade class and she is excited, but still scared because she is told that she may end up looking like her toothless Uncle Lou. When she finally loses her tooth, she realizes that she doesn't look weird, but that she looks fascinating! She can't wait to show off her new smile. She is still struggling with the fact that she doesn't think the tooth fairy is a real fairy, but is actually a witch. She faces her fears and places her tooth under her pillow and in the morning is able to realize that the tooth fairy is real, and the fairy's main purpose is to recycle baby teeth.

Junie B. Jones books were some of my favorite novels growing up. They were the books that I couldn't put down. It is witty and humorous!

This one is very relatable, according to the situation. I think many kids get scared to lose teeth. It also introduces the idea of recycling to many kids, who will maybe never have heard of that before. I think this is a good starter chapter book. It is light and fun, but they could probably still come up with a discussion about it.

[Ashton Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Junie B., First Grader: Toothless Wonder

Author: Barbara Park

Illustrator: Denise Brunkus

Genre: Transitional Chapter Book

Theme: Losing teeth

Opening Line/Sentence:
Dear first-grade journal,
Today we are having a speaker in Room One.

Brief Book Summary: Junie B. Jones is the first one in her class to lose a top tooth. At first she’s excited, but then she’s worried she’ll look like toothless Uncle Lou. She also thinks the tooth fairy is a tooth witch, so her and her classmates ponder the fact that if there really is a tooth fairy, what does she do with all the teeth? At the end, Junie B. Jones comes to the conclusion that the tooth fairy recycles teeth and that the tooth fairy gave Junie B. Jones’ tooth to her little brother Ollie.

Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
http://www.clcd.com/#/bookdetail/1/1/...
Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2002 (Vol. 70, No. 17))
Good news, people!" Junie B. has lost her first tooth and she and is the first person in Room One to reach this milestone. Is Junie B. excited? Well, yes and no. First, she is excited about sharing the news, and the bloodstained spit cup, with her classmates. But, she is concerned that she will end up like Sheldon's toothless Uncle Lou. Then, she imagines that she will look so different that no one at school will recognize her. And there is the little matter of the Tooth Fairy. See, Junie B. knows "stuff about the fairy, that's why." The "truth" is perfectly clear to her seems so logical coming out of her mouth: the Tooth Fairy is really a Tooth Witch who collects teeth to EAT. Her mother challenges Junie B.'s emphatic explanation of the tiny cheek-pinching Tooth Witch flying on her toothbrush. But Junie B. has no patience for her mother's dense thinking. "I rolled my eyes way up to the ceiling. 'Cause sometimes I have to explain everything to that woman." Sassy and perceptive Junie B. is growing up, and Park's first-person narrative improves as her character ages. Junie B. has been listening to adults and loves to add grown-up words and colloquialisms to her speech. The reader is treated to words like "fascinating, reaction, pleasure, occasional, festivities and 'that's another can of worms." Junie B.'s swarms of young fans will continue to delight in her unique take on the world and her exasperation with the well-meaning adults in her life. A hilarious, first-rate read-aloud for the first-grade classroom.

Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
http://www.clcd.com/#/bookdetail/1/1/...
Carolyn Phelan (Booklist, Nov. 1, 2002 (Vol. 99, No. 5))
As the story begins, Junie B. struggles with the discomfort of a loose top tooth and the prospect of looking different once it is gone. When the tooth falls out, however, these issues pale beside the question of whether to put it under her pillow, since the story of the tooth fairy just doesn't make sense to her. After all, what does the tooth fairy do with all those teeth? Armed with a scientist's drive to know the truth and a six-year-old's knowledge base and logic, Junie B. finds her own answer to the question. Occasionally the humor seems aimed at adults, but children just a little older than Junie B. will definitely find this beginning chapter book amusing and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny. With its vivid portrayal of a first-grade classroom and a child's point of view, this is a welcome addition to a popular series.

Response to Two Professional Reviews: I completely agree with both of these reviews. The humor in this book is captivating and it draws the reader in more and more throughout the story. The book also ponders a question that some children may be wondering themselves, which is “what does the tooth fairy do with the teeth?” Junie B. Jones’ sass is unlike any other and her narrative is entertaining and thought provoking.

Evaluation of Literary Elements: Junie B. Jones is a character that children can relate to. Junie B. is trying to make sense of the world, as are many other children. This book also has great tension. Readers want to keep reading to see what happens to Junie B. Jones’ smile and what the tooth fairy actually does with the teeth she collects. The mood in this story is amusing. Junie B. Jones’ quirky humor is entertaining and understandable, which keeps readers engaged. Junie B. also writes in first person, which allows the reader to step into her world and find out what she is really thinking. As a result, readers feel more connected to Junie B. Jones. This book contains some pictures, which is perfect for readers who are transitioning from picture books to chapter books.

Consideration of Instructional Application: In my classroom, a mini lesson could be about vocabulary. I would write some of the big words Junie B. Jones uses in the book and go over them with my students and have them discuss what they mean, including festivities and pleasure. After the read aloud, I would have my students come up with their own sentences using the words we went over before we read the book and hypothesize how Junie B. Jones may have been feeling when she was using those words. I could even have my students come up with synonyms and antonyms for these words as well. I could connect my lesson to science because the story involves losing a tooth. I would have my students discuss why they think children lose teeth. I could teach them about why people lose teeth and show them a step-by-step process of how it happens. They could even write about what they think happens to the teeth after the tooth fairy collects them.

[Abbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, Junie thinks it's a tooth witch, not a tooth fairy because what would a tooth fairy do with all the teeth? And that night she didn't put it under her pillow. The next morning, Lucille told Junie B. that the tooth fairy might collect teeth and that recess she promised one of her friends that she would put her tooth under pillow that night. I can't wait to lose a tooth and I liked this book.

[Inge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another read with Kennadi. Kennadi was in the middle of losing her tooth when we started reading, and lost it by the time we were done! Kennadi could relate with how Junie felt and was excited that they mirrored each other, if only for a moment.

[Staci · Rating 5 out of 5]

If it's Junie B it has got to B good! All of the books in this series are hysterical!

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

My son LOVED this book. We read it as part of his Book-It program at school. (The sad truth is, I liked it too!)

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love ALL Junie B. Jones books, but this is our family favorite. Don't miss the part about Lucille's richie Nana's "cattle-act" in Chapter 1. It's ooh-la-la good.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 6 year old daughter loves the Junie B Jones series. She reads them to me before bed. We often laugh at loud together.

[♥☆.*.~L0r3na~.*.☆♥ BANDA the PANDA!!!;) · Rating 5 out of 5]

She gets exited when ever she starts to lose her firt tooth.

[Joey · Rating 5 out of 5]

HAHA. I used to love to read these books.. I thought they were so funny, and sadly I would do a little kid voice when i read them. Aww, childhood.