Who loves Junie B. Jones?

[Bbgrizzle]

I'm just wondering if anyone else enjoys Junie B. Jones books as much as I do. They crack me up!

I teach Kindergarten, and each year I read the entire series to my class. They always end up loving the books as much as I do. I have a Junie B. Jones doll that I let the students take turns holding during reading time. What cracks me up is that the kids start wanting to get their own Junie B. Jones books, even before they can read them. By this time of year, my top reading group is able to start reading the early books, like Stupid Smelly Bus. It's so great to have a series that gets my students excited about reading.

What are your favorite books? Mine are Meanie Jim's Birthday, Mushy Gushy Valentine, and Jingle Bells, Batman Smells, P.S. So Does May. The new book, Aloha-ha-ha is supposed to come out in May.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

I taught first grade and love these books. My son is now in first grade and he's enjoying them as well. They really crack him up.

 

[Caropooh]

My DD7 is reading them right now. She loves them. My DD12 also loved them! It's cute to hear the 2 of them discussing them!

 

[nataliz]

I teach a 1st/2nd grade loop. These books are always a class favorite.

In first grade we always enjoy "Boss of Lunch." One of the other grade level teachers even got the cafeteria staff to let them help out just like Junie B! It was so cute. (They wore hairnets, aprons and huge gloves.)

I also have a large cardboard cutout of Junie from "First Grader at Last" that I put outside my door to greet my students on the first day.

They love Junie B. The books are also great for discussion on character. "Junie B. is not a Crook" was great when we had some finders keepers issues in our class last year.

 

[rhanditresmom]

"I love those guys!" These are the best books for kids! My DH has read all of them out loud to myself and our 2 children. He does such a great job. It is rare for a book to make me laugh out loud, but we all end up rolling on the floor during a "reading!" We all get so excited when a new Junie B. comes out!

 

[GoofyDad869]

Junie B. rocks! My daughter is in 1st Grade so she's right with J.B.J. She inherited her older bro's (11y.o.) J.B.J. library, and has received 4 books for her birthday in early April (she's read 3 of those and is about 1/2 way through the 4th).

Mushy Gushy Valentime is good, along with Boss of Lunch. My personal fave is Smells Something Fishy.

 

[anewvance]

My 6 year old has been reading them for about a year now and she loves them. She's into the 1st grade ones now. That little Junie B is a hoot!!! When my daughter is reading one of the books in the other room, I hear her LOL and she comes in to read me certain parts. Ok i'll admit i've sat down and read a few of the books myself, lol.

 

[Daxx]

We love Junie B. Jones here. Even though DS is 9yo, he will sit and read them b/c they're so funny.

His favorite happens to be "Junie B. Jones and the Pocket Full of Peeps" and the part that makes us both laugh was when Mrs. asked the children to draw a picture of a farm animal and everyone was drawing things like Unicorns, flamingos, etc. Junie B. said she drew something on a farm and it was a picture of a rooster. However, when Junie B. brought up her drawing to show, Mrs. said "I can only see a tree" and Junie says something to the effect of "Yeah, well, there was a terrible accident and the tree fell on the rooster. You can see his legs sticking out." Every time I read it (or mention it), DS gets the giggles!!! We love Junie B.!

I don't know which one is my personal favorite is b/c they're all so funny! Like the OP, I teach Kdg. and every spring, I read them "Graduation Girl" as they prepare for their grad.! For a grad. gift, I give each student a copy of "Junie B. Jones - First Grader At Last!"

Later this month, our Theatre of Youth is putting on "Junie B. Jones and the Monkey Business" as a musical. Should be interesting. We're taking DS and DNiece to see it.

 

[diznygirl]

DS's kindergarten class has been reading them. They just went to a performance of First Grader at Last. It was sooooo funny! He has asked for the entire set from Scholastic. I can't wait to read them now.

 

[Bbgrizzle]

Daxx: that is great about the theater production of JBJ! Last year I took my class to the play done by TheaterWorks USA. It was so cute! They didn't perform it this year and we were disappointed.

nataliz: Where did you get your JBJ cutout? I would love to have one of those!

Everyone who teaches: Do you find yourself and your students using Junie B. Lingo? We always use "Wowie wow wow!" and "Love your hair today". And when I call students to carpet, sometimes I'll call them "Lina B. Jones" and "Bryson B. Jones". They love that. Also, we love putting those foil star stickers on our foreheads and wearing them around all day, like in Stupid, Smelly Bus.

Has anyone else ever made those graduation hats out of paper? I got the idea off the random house website. One day I made one for all my Kindergarten students and they love them.

 

[challada]

Love 'em! DD started reading them at the beginning of kindergarten and has just loved the darn things...her best friend had to go buy some and have her mom read them to her too as Junie was all that my DD would talk about!

Of course, I WISH DD's kinder teacher read to them...heck, we're a month out from ending school and she has YET to hear her kids read to her (parents come in to listen to kids read and she sends them out to a specialist for reading testing)! As an educator, I'm frustrated, but at least my DD had a good background BEFORE getting to kindergarten!

 

[Bbgrizzle]

Junie B., First Grader: Aloha-Ha-Ha!

FROM THE PUBLISHER
It's a week in "Pair-o-Dice!"
Junie B. and her family are going on a vacation to Hawaii! And ha! Mr. Scary is giving Junie a real, actual camera to keep a photo journal of her trip! But taking good vacation pictures is not always easy. 'Cause what if your airplane is full of grouchy ladies? And what if there is an unfortunate inner tube incident at the swimming pool? (And, oh my! Let's
not even mention what happens if a tropical bird gets tangled in your hair!) Will Junie B.'s vacation end up picture perfect? Or will her trip to Hawaii be aloha-horrible?
From the Hardcover edition.

Sounds cute!

Challada: Your DD sounds like she is getting gypped. No wonder you are disappointed in her teacher. I hate to hear about kids having lame Kindergarten teachers. That's such an important year. Good thing she has you!

 

[nataliz]

nataliz: Where did you get your JBJ cutout? I would love to have one of those!

I actually inherited the cutout from a co-worker when she left teaching. Her sister worked at the Scholastic Warehouse and got it for her there when they had finished promoting the First Grader At Last book.

Right now Junie is waiting for August when I have 1st graders again. First Grader at Last will be my first read aloud of next year.

Most of my 2nd graders are now into the Magic Tree House, Secrets of Droon, and Ricky Ricotta. A few still read Junie B. but not as many as last year.

 

[Jeannie]

I've been reading the 1st grader ones to my first graders and they absolutely love them! They're very excited that our field trip next week is to see Junie B. on stage. Here's the write up about the show:

JUNIE B. JONESMay 9 at 10am & 12:30pm
Theatreworks USA
Recommended for Grades 1 - 5

NJ Core Curriculum Connections – 1.1, 1.5, 3.2, 3.4, 3.5

Hooray for Theatreworks' brand-new musical all about Junie B. Jones! (The B stands for Beatrice, only Junie does not like Beatrice. She just likes B and that�s all.) Junie keeps track of her adventures in her �Top-Secret Personal Beeswax Journal� � like the time when the whole entire first grade was having a kickball tournament. Junie stubbed her toe and couldn�t play, so she and her friend Sheldon did a half-time show instead that led to all kinds of trouble! Based on the award-winning books by Barbara Park, with funny songs, colorful sets and costumes, and Broadway style choreography, Junie B. Jones is a sure fire hit for all ages.

 

[Kteacher]

I'm another kindergarten teacher who loves Junie B. I've been reading them to my classes for years. I used to do " Junie B. Friday's ", when I would bring in homemade chocolate chip cookies for the kids to munch on while I read to them . Unfortunately the teacher I work with now said no more cookies- as junie B. would say- " she's a meanie! ", and I am only " allowed " to read the books to the kids " if there's time " Luckily she's out of the classroom a lot, so that's when I read Junie B. to the kids. I feel bad for this year's group. They're the first class in 8 years that didn't get Junie B. on Fridays with cookies

 

[chobie]

I do! My dd would not read a book until she was forced through boredom to pick up the first Junie B. She became addicted to Junie and addicted to books.

 

[barkley]

both dd and i adore them (i call them the modern day "ramona quimby's"). i recently read another of barbara park's books-"the kid in the red jacket", and i was amazed that she was able to capture 4th grader's and their attitudes and language just as well as she does with junie b's. set. junie b's are about the only kid's books that i don't make dd wait for paperback on-i grab them as soon as the newest one comes out!

 

[javamom]

I love to read these to my daughter, she reads them to me, etc...

Junie B reminds a lot of Beverly Cleary. I adored the whole Beezus and Ramona series of books!

Beveryl Cleary must have been my neighbor or something because I think I have done each every thing that Ramona did.

 

[kydisneyfans]

Our 7 year old DS is enomored by Junie B--ironically they are reading the same book as his 9 year old cousin in 3rd grade in Ohio. Its great to have books that children like to read early on.

We were forced to read certain books during grade, middle, and high school that I did not like--it turned me off from reading ever since.

 

[PaulaSue]

Love them! We have them all but for the last one.