Barbara Park

Junie, an outspoken, sometimes exasperating, first grader is thrilled when she is told she can help out Mrs. Gutzman in the school cafeteria and imagines what it will be like to be a professional lunch lady. Reprint.

Boss of Lunch

Junie B., First Grader

With Halloween approaching, Junie B. needs to find a costume that will scare off the real witches and ghosts that she believes will be out on the holiday. Reprint.

Boo --and I Mean It!

Sarah Sammis

Over all I like the Junie B. Jones series of books. I've read a few from the original series when she was in kindergarten and now a few here and there from her year in first grade. The series suffers from an inconsistent character development. Junie B. seems to take on character traits to fit a comedic moment and then lose them again by the next book.

In Junie B., First Grader: Boo and I Mean It! it's Halloween and Junie B. wants no part of it. Apparently she's now scared of the holiday because of things a bully told her at school. The problem: she's been duped by this bully before and she's reminded of this in the book. Does it help her come to her senses when normally she wouldn't be this scared by a bully? No.

So Junie B. has to face her fears and she does it in her own unique way. She dresses as a clown. The reason for dressing as a clown is laid out in the book but the explanation is creepy itself and frankly if I were Junie B's mother I wouldn't have let her dress up as that clown.

Ultimately the book comes down to Junie B. not wanting to participate in Halloween and being forced to by her parents. To this I say, what the heck? Why is trick or treating that important?

Let's just say this wasn't one of my favorite Junie B. books.

Although my last two reviews of books from the Junie B. Jones series were harsh, I do still enjoy the series. Junie B., First Grader: Boss of Lunch (#19) is the second book in the series where Junie B. has moved onto first grade.

In these later books she is better settled and more mature. Junie B. loves being in first grade but she misses some of the perks of being a kindergartner, like the cookies she used to get at snack time.

Besides wanting the cookies, Junie B. wants to feel important. She thinks that working with the lunch lady (who always brings the cookies to the kindergarten class) will do just the trick. Unfortunately for Junie, working in the lunch room requires a lot of patience, something Junie doesn't always have.

I liked Boss of Lunch because the story stays within the bounds of day to day school life. Junie B. is the most believable when she's interacting with her classmates.

When her father will not let her stay up late to do her homework, first grader Junie B. copies a classmate's paper.

Cheater Pants

Chris Aldrich

As always Junie B is hilarious. Toy can't read these and not smile.

Excitable Junie B. Jones manages to find trouble both before and during a trip to Hawaii and records each incident in a photo journal given to her by her teacher.

Aloha-ha-ha!

A Junie B. Jones Book, #18 Hurray, hurray for a brand-new school year! Only, for Junie B. Jones, things are not actually that pleasant. ’Cause first grade means having to get used to a whole new classroom. And a whole new teacher. And a whole new bunch of strange children. But here’s the worst thing of all: when Junie B. tries to read words on the chalkboard, she can’t seem to see what everyone else is seeing! Is it possible she might actually end up wearing glasses?

Junie B., First Grader (at Last!)

Elliot

Junie B. Jones learns some interesting things about the Tooth Fairy when she becomes the first student in Room One to lose an upper tooth.

Toothless Wonder

When Junie B. cannot play in the school kickball tournament because of a sore toe, she brings her unique talents to the halftime show.

Junie B. Jones #22: One-Man Band

Joshua Line

When she picks Tattletale May's name for Secret Santa, Junie B., who has been unable to enjoy the holiday festivities due to May, seizes this opportunity to get even!

Junie B., First Grader Boss of Lunch

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