When Mrs. announces Job Day at School, Junie B. gets carried away (as usual!), coming up with the "bestest"--and strangest--job description in Room Nine. "Another hilarious, easy book about Junie B. Jones."--Booklist.
Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle.
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
Gr. 2-4. In another hilarious, easy chapter book about Junie B. Jones, the irrepressible kindergartner veers from catastrophe to rapture and back again. This time she has trouble deciding what to be on Job Day. Older kids will laugh at Junie's mistakes and misunderstandings, especially with language, and they'll remember their own bewilderment and bloopers. She gets punished for shooting off her big fat mouth ("Punishment is the school word for sitting at a big table all by yourself"). She's frank that the Pledge of Allegiance is a jumble for her ("I don't know what that dumb story is even talking about"). She's heartbroken to discover that Mickey Mouse isn't real. When she hates, she hates (even her "bestest" friend); when she's humiliated, she can't bear it ("I hided my head"). Brunkus' energetic drawings pick up the slapstick action and the spunky comic hero. Hazel Rochman
Review
"Another hilarious, easy book about Junie B. Jones."--Booklist
From the Trade Paperback edition.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
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.
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.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A review by an 8 year old girl,
By A Customer
This review is from: Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth (Junie B. Jones, No. 3) (Paperback)
It is a very funny book about a girl named Junie Beatrice Jones except she just likes B. and that's all. She has trouble controlling her temper and excitement. Sometimes she yells out "YOU'RE A DUMB BUNNY!" and she calls her teacher "Mrs."...she has another name too but Junie B. just likes Mrs. and that's all. One day Mrs. said, "Boys and girls, please take your seats. I've got a wonderful surprise!" "IS IT JELLY DOUGHNUTS?" Mrs. put her finger to her lips and that means be quiet. "YEAH ONLY GUESS WHAT? JELLY DOUGHNUTS ARE MY MOST FAVORITE EXCEPT I ALSO LIKE OTHER KINDS!" After that, my mouth got very drooly and some drool fell on the table. I wiped it up with my sweater sleeve. Just then there was a knock at the door. Mrs. hurried to open it. "HEY, IT'S A..." to find out who it was...read the book! You didn't expect ME to tell you!
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I like Junie B. -- BUT . . .,
By A Customer
This review is from: Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth (Junie B. Jones, No. 3) (Paperback)
Like the other Junie B. Jones books, this one was easy to read and funny. However, I really didn't like the extended discussion about whether Mickey Mouse (etc.) is real -- my 6-year-old reader didn't need to find that out from a book!
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Junie B. teaches some important career development lessons.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth (Junie B. Jones, No. 3) (Paperback)
This book is an excellent resource for elementary counselors and teachers.It uses a humorous approach to issues such as gender bias, dignity in all work, and career exploration. Both adults and children will laugh at Junie B.'s creative interpretations of the world of work. This book is a great springboard for discussion at home or in the classroom.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Inside This Book
(learn more)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence:
My name is Junie B. Jones. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
people from danger, big fat mouth Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Room Nine, Gus Vallony, Officer Mike, Mickey Mouse New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
My name is Junie B. Jones. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
people from danger, big fat mouth Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Room Nine, Gus Vallony, Officer Mike, Mickey Mouse New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 7
books:
See all 7 books this book cites
19
books
cite this book:
See all 19 books citing this book
- Maxie, Rosie, and Earl-Partners in Grime (Geek Chronicles) (No. 1) by Barbara Park in Back Matter
- Almost Starring Skinnybones by Barbara Park in Back Matter
- My Mother Got Married and Other Disasters (Barbara Park Reissues) by Barbara Park in Back Matter
- Operation: Dump the Chump by Barbara Park in Back Matter
- Rosie Swanson: Fourth-Grade Geek for President (Geek Chronicles) (No.2) by Barbara Park in Back Matter
See all 7 books this book cites
- Junie B. Jones Is (almost) a Flower Girl (Junie B. Jones, No. 13) by Barbara Park in Front Matter
- Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentime (Junie B. Jones #14) by Barbara Park in Back Matter
- Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook (Junie B. Jones, No. 9) by Barbara Park in Front Matter
- Skinnybones by Barbara Park in Front Matter
- Junie B. Jones Has A Monster Under Her Bed (Junie B. Jones 8, Library Binding) by Barbara Park in Front Matter
See all 19 books citing this book
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
|
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
So You'd Like to...
|
|
