All the children in Room Nine are excited when they get their bright white graduation gowns. Mrs. says to keep them in their boxes until the big day. But Junie B. Jones just can't help herself. Then—uh-oh!—an accident happens! Can Junie B. find a way to fix things? Or will graduation be a spotty dotty disaster?
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Junie B. Jones and all of Room 9 are getting ready to graduate from kindergarten! Their teacher--known to our heroine as "Mrs."--distributes their fresh white caps and gowns ("Cats and gowns, cats and gowns!" Junie hollers), and makes her students promise to keep them in their boxes until the big day. But Junie B., being Junie B., is sure that just one peek on the way home won't soil her gown. And then she must show off to her stuffed animals with a lot of whirling and skipping, which of course makes her thirsty. But guess what? "Grape juice can go wrong."
The 17th title in Barbara Park's popular Junie B. Jones beginning chapter book series is filled with more messy antics from the irrepressible 6-year-old with the rather unusual speaking style. She may be trouble, but Junie B. Jones has definite six-appeal. Don't miss any of the titles in this lively series, from Junie B. Jones Has a Peep in Her Pocket to Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying to Junie B. Jones Is Captain Field Day. Denise Brunkus's witty drawings deftly capture the tragicomedies of kindergarten life. Although the cute-precocious style may eventually grate on grownups' nerves, kids won't tire of Junie B.'s everyday adventures. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter
From the Inside Flap
All the children in Room Nine are excited when they get their bright white graduation gowns. Mrs. says to keep them in their boxes until the big day. But Junie B. Jones just can?t help herself. Then?uh-oh!?an accident happens! Can Junie B. find a way to fix things? Or will she have to miss graduation and stay a kindergartner forever?
I grew up in Mt. Holly, New Jersey. It was a small town surrounded by farmland . . . the kind of town where you greet people by name on Main Street. It was only an hour's drive to the ocean. So every summer we spent family vacations on Long Beach Island. My brother and I would ride the waves during the day and play miniature golf at night. It's the kind of idyllic memory that stays in your head long after you've grown up and moved away. After graduating from high school and spending two years at Rider University, I transferred to the University of Alabama where I met my husband, Richard. Eventually his job brought him to Arizona. We both fell in love with the desert and wanted to stay here forever. Still, during the heat of the Arizona summers, those ocean memories would come rushing back. So-after years of sweaty summers-my husband and I finally built a house on Long Beach Island, the same island where my brother and I rode the waves as kids. In the story business, that's called "coming full circle." These days, Richard and I divide our time between the desert and the ocean. In the words of Junie B. Jones, I'm a lucky duck.
Q. What inspired you to start writing?
In my case, it was sort of "reverse" inspiration. I got a degree in secondary education. My plan was to teach high school history and political science. But, because of a scheduling problem my senior year, I ended up doing my student teaching in the seventh grade. The word disaster doesn't really cover this one. I'll spare you the details. But as I ran screaming from the school building every day, I knew that I would never be a teacher. My husband and I married after graduation, and started a family. A few years later, when I was ready to go to work, I was still haunted by the memories of student teaching. So I was "inspired" to try my hand at writing instead.
Q. How did you go about getting published?
The first children's novel I wrote was Operation: Dump the Chump. As soon as it was finished, I bought a copy of Writer's Market, found some addresses, and started sending it off to publishers who were accepting unsolicited manuscripts. It was rejected three times. All three rejections managed to work in the classic industry one-liner, "It isn't right for our list."
The fourth time I sent it to Alfred Knopf, Inc. A few weeks later, they called and said it was exactly right for their list. I felt like I'd hit the lottery.
Q: You've written middle-grade novels, early chapter books, and picture books. Which do you like writing best?
I can't really say which I like best. But after all the Junie B. books I've written, those certainly come the easiest. The middle-grade novels are more of a challenge. But in some ways, that makes them more rewarding. The last two I've written (Mick Harte Was Here and The Graduation of Jake Moon) were both about very sensitive topics, so it took a long time to get them exactly right. But I think those two books have made me the most proud.
Q. Tell us about your most recent picture book.
It's called, MA! There's Nothing to Do Here! It's about a baby in utero who is bored out of his mind. The idea for it was born (so to speak) when my daughter-in-law, Renee, invited me to my first grandson's ultrasound. Although I had never had an ultrasound myself, I'd seen pictures of other babies in utero. But I wasn't prepared for how amazing it would be to see my own little grandbaby on that screen. I felt like I was watching the Discovery Channel.
Q. How much did you continue to think about the baby after seeing the ultrasound? How did this develop into the idea for the book?
A. On the way out of the doctor's office, I remember thinking, Okay, so now we're all going back to our busy lives. But the baby is still in there just floating around. Except for an occasional kick or hiccup, he's got absolutely nothing to do.
A few months later-when I was getting ready to give Renee a baby shower-I wrote this poem, framed it, and gave it to her as a shower gift.
Q. Of the characters you've created, who is your favorite?
A. This would be a bit like picking a favorite child. I don't have a single favorite character, but again, I lived with the characters Mick and Phoebe Harte and Jake and Skelly Moon for a very long time. So those four are the most dear to me.
The characters I've had the most fun with have been the little ones. Little kids are so free to say whatever is on their minds. They aren't silenced by peer pressure and the notion that they have to sound cool. Molly Vera Thompson in The Kid in the Red Jacket is six, and Thomas Russo in My Mother Got Married and Other Disasters is five. They both were such fun to write about that they led to the creation of Junie B. Jones.
Q. Is Junie B. modeled after you as a child? Did you ever do any of the things that Junie B. does?
A. I was sent to "Principal" in first grade for talking. There were lots of notes sent home that year, as well. My father was on the Board of Education. Not good.
Q. There's been some criticism of the Junie-speak in the series. How do you answer concerns that Junie's grammar is not good for young readers?
A. Honestly, most of the grown-ups I hear from are writing to tell me that Junie B. Jones got their reluctant readers to read. I have drawers full of letters from parents and teachers that are so meaningful to me, I can't bear to part with them. These are adults who understand that fictional literature plays a whole different role in children's lives than a book of grammar or a basic reader.
That having been said, there are always going to be a handful of people who denigrate books that speak in a voice other than their own. I've stopped trying to explain the concept of literature to people like that. Wasted time better spent.
8. What makes you laugh?
My sense of humor is a little bit off-center, I think. In the movies, I usually laugh at parts that no one else seems to think are funny. Then there are movies like Young Frankenstein where I laugh from the opening scene straight through to the end.
Lots of other things make me laugh, as well. My husband and sons make me laugh. My dog. My grandsons. Friends. The absurdities of life. My lopsided cakes. The list goes on . . .
What advice do you have for teachers that are aspiring writers? For kids?
There's nothing revolutionary in my advice, I'm afraid. It's the same old stuff. Write as much and as often as you can. Try different genres to find your niche. Then rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. And-above all-be your own worst critic.
It's hard to believe, but the kindergarten class in room nine is about to graduate. The children are excited with all the preparations, making invitations, writing a class graduation poem and receiving the boxes that hold their caps and gowns. The caps and gowns are white and white gets dirty very easily, their teacher tells them. She says to take them home, don't play with them, don't even open the boxes until the big day. Of course this is all Junie B has to hear. She just has to take a peek and maybe show off her gown to her stuffed animal friends and twirl and whirl a little. All that modeling makes her feel pooped and thirsty, so she figures she'll go to the kitchen and get a glass of grape juice..... Nobody captures the essence of the kindergarten aged child like Barbara Park and children will easily identify with Junie B. This irrepressible, precocious and lovable youngster has places to go, people to meet and things to see. She's ready for the world; she just hasn't quite mastered listening, following directions and self-control. Ms Park's humorous text is down to earth, written in easy to read, kid-speak language and complemented by Denise Brunkus' delightful illustrations and youngsters will laugh out loud at the antics of Junie B, her family, teacher, the principal and the entire class. Perfect for readers 5-8, Junie B Jones is a Graduation Girl is a funny, heart-warming story with a gentle message and a terrific addition to this wonderful series.
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This review is from: Junie B. Jones Is a Graduation Girl (Junie B. Jones, No. 17) (Paperback)
My [...] daughter loves Junie B books and this one was no exception. Kids really relate to Junie B and this story will keep a young child interested enough to read the book without being overwhelming. I've heard complaints (even one from a first grade teacher) about this series because the heroine Junie B has a few bad habits and her grammer is less than perfect. But those shortcomings are so obvious (even to a 6 year old) that the worry that a child will pick up those habits is just ridiculous. Kids laugh with Junie B because they see how silly she is and they root for her as well because they see her getting away with things that they know they never will or should get away with. Don't we adults do the very same thing?
My daughter has read about fourteen of these books so far and has not picked up one bad habit - well actually she has - she asks to stay up late to read!
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5.0 out of 5 starsOne of the Funniest Books in the World!, October 15, 2002
A Kid's Review
This review is from: Junie B. Jones Is a Graduation Girl (Junie B. Jones, No. 17) (Paperback)
This book was about how Junie B. (Don't forget the B!) was getting ready for graduation from Kindergarten. ...And she got popular because she accidentally got purple drops on her cap and gown, so everyone else drew colored polka dots on their gowns.
I liked this because Junie B. is very funny. I liked this book as much as "Junie B and the Stinky Smelly Bus" and I think other kids would like to read it too.
Mom's Note: "This was the first Junie B. book that I have read with my daughter (she read another one in school) and it was absolutely adorable. Ms. Park captures the essence of a kindergartener by telling the story in the first-person, from little Junie B's perspective and she does a wonderful job. It really sounds like a Kindergartener is telling the story, which makes it all the more enjoyable. I'm looking forward to reading more of these with my daughter!"
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