Customer Reviews

Top-Secret, Personal Beeswax: A Journal by Junie B. (and Me!)

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

My daughter received this book from her brother for her 7th birthday and was thrilled. The format introduces a young child to the concept of a personal journal, using Junie's entries to illustrate how you can form and write down your thoughts. It develops both reading and writing skills. My daughter loved it so much, she started writing in it as soon as she opened it and wouldn't stop until she was bleary-eyed. She was thrilled to learn that Junie's birthday is just one day after hers and they are the same age. The interactive nature of the book forges a wonderful bond between Junie fans and their favorite 1st grader. The book is also very sturdy -- hardbound with a padded cover and gloss coating to stand up to lots of use.

3/6/04 A young kin(who happens to be a girl) was given this book . The book brings out the creativity in children (more so since it is patterned like a diary and they do not have to worry about correct spelling .The sample by the character before the reader does similar is also done well(e.g.:the last chapter "Time To Say Goodbye"" Asks the reader to 1. rate journal experience 2. tell how it feels to be a real live author 3.sign the book and give a sign off message). It has no lock & key on and to the book so it did not put her in the position of hiding it somewhere as "confidential" where she wouldn't pick it up again to proceed nor did it put her under pressure to have to finish it (she's had it since last year's holidays and picks it up to work on when she feels like it....the author puts her character(Junie B. Jones) in 1st grade ,however the language and style of the book definitely would appeal more to adolescents of 3rd grade to about 5th or 6th grade .

I just got this for my 8 1/2 year old niece. She already loves Junie B. so I knew this book would be a hit. I think it probably works best for girls, but if you know a boy who loves Junie B., he'll like it. If she (or he) doesn't already know who Junie B. is, it's probably best to read a few of books before getting this diary.

My niece loves reading, but writing is still a struggle for her. With this book she's having fun writing, instead of it being a chore. She has done about half the book in just three days. She loves that it's her own personal book and that no one else can look at it (although we are sometimes allowed a peek). I've promised that when she finishes this, we can go and buy another diary, with a lock and everything.

I think this is a great introduction to creative writing. There's enough structure so that the process isn't intimidating. The book's format shows that there's a lot of freedom in writing your own diary. You can draw, make lists, and there's even a few times where Junie B. changes the writing suggestion to something she wants to write about.

I would LOVE to give this the full five stars. My daughter has been very balky about handwriting, and this journal has been exactly what she needed to help her speed and concentration. It's great to have such a wonderful motivator! HOWEVER - this really ought to be a spiral-bound book, so that the pages can lie flat. That would make it far easier to write in. I'm going to have to have this precious thing re-bound somewhere because it's falling apart.

For fans of JBJ this book is a wonderful companion. Your kids can follow along with JBJ as she writes her journal and they can fill in their own versions on the next pages. My 7 year old devours the JBJ books in about 30 minutes, but she has spent hours and hours on this. It was especially great for the summer because it gave her a chance to practice her writing skills.

My daughter, age 7-1/2, loves Junie B., and so do I. The Personal Beeswax Journal is awesome!!! It is set up as a journal for two people to use. Junies B. has filled in the first person's journal, and there are the same pages left blank for the owner of the book to fill in. Junie B.'s entries are hilarious as well as touching. My daughter has already composed a Haiku poem to write on her Haiku page of the journal. If you have a child who loves Junie B., she is sure to love this book! And if your child is a reluctant writer, this just might motivate her to do a little writing.

My daughter absolutely loves this book - not only because of it's "secret" nature, but because Junie B. fills out her side of the page and then she can fill out her side "just like Junie B. did". It's a great addition to the books.

AWESOME!!!!!
I think this book is soo awesome because it lets you put what you think and you can make stories. It is sooo creative cause you can draw and it is fun to see what Junie B. said. I think all girls and i guess boys too should get this book and it is a great way for parents to relax while your kids read and write and draw.

I loved this journal. I had fun writing in it. And it was very fun to here what Junie B. had to say.

My 7-yr-old daughter received this for Christmas during a Christmas vacation trip. It was great to help her fill some of the time away from her home and toys. We love Junie B! The journal is adorable. It's perfect to help jump-start journal-writing. At the age of 7, having a blank journal is a bit intimidating...what to write? where to start? But this journal prompts you with topics on every page and in a very humorous manner.

I love adding little pictures of family, friends and my daughter's teacher (we cut out from extra pics we had laying around or I printed off extra copies from the computer.) It's just such a cute addition to the pages as you turn them (photos are not suggested on every page though so no worries there.)

My daughter loved filling in the pages about her favorite things, what she likes to do in her room, favorite food, the rules she would put into place at school, her ideas for better names for all of her family members (she would have named me "Polly") and writing about all of her friends (I was fortunate enough to get into her classroom a few times this year and happened to snap pictures of all the kids so it made it easy for my daughter to select pics to include of her friends). She giggled throughout each page and was excited to share her work with us when she was done (although some of it she has kept private.) One of the favorite pages must have been the one for her to write about her idea of a perfect birthday celebration and the page about the things that make her happy.

Such a wonderful book to hold on to for years to come...a snapshot in time of this precious age. I will cherish this forever (or until the time she moves out on her own and takes it with her...unless she'll let me keep it in my memorabilia box.)

This has become a good birthday gift to give other 7-year-olds for their birthdays (especially when I, as the mother, don't know these kids well enough to know what they already have at home.)

(I like the other reviewer's comment about this book needing to be spiral-bound so it can lay flat - great idea; however, it's not so bad that my daughter has had a tough time writing in it. The binding is still intact and it does lay close-to-flat even without being spiral-bound.)