Junie B., First Grader (at last!)

January 1, 2002
Gr 1-3-While first grade offers a whole year of exciting possibilities for Junie B., things get off to a confusing start. Feeling tentative about her new teacher, she renames him Mr. Scary. Her last year's best friend now has two new best friends and her old bus pal has a new buddy. Then, Junie's teacher discovers that she needs glasses. Now that is something to worry about. "What if Room One laughs their head off at me? What if I look like a goonie bird and no one wants to be my friend?" However, her classmates, who already agree that twins with rhyming names, a boy with a spiky gel hairdo, and bilingual Jos are fascinating, determine that Junie B. and her purple glasses are definitely cool. As always, Park is in touch with what the kids know and how they feel. A satisfying read, especially for fans.-Sharon R. Pearce, Geronimo Public School, OK

Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2001
Gr. 2-3. Nervous as she enters her first-grade classroom, Junie B. Jones is overjoyed to see Lucille, her best friend from kindergarten. Lucille soon squashes her exuberance quite flat, declaring, "You and I can still be friends, Junie B. Just not on a regular basis." Soon a new problem arises, when Junie B. gets glasses for the first time but feels reluctant to put them on in class. With unexpected support from new friends, however, she gains acceptance, even with her new purple glasses, and begins to think that she might like school after all. The inclusion of passages from Junie's school journal doesn't quite ring true. She is after all, a beginning first-grader. Still, Junie herself is completely convincing. Just as fresh and funny as the previous books in the series, this one, taking Junie B. into the elementary grades, opens up new possibilities for the popular series. To be illustrated.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)