Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus (1992)

Reading Level: 1st -3rd.

Age: 6-9y
Great Stone Book Face Award (1995)

The books were a hit for my daughter in elementary school but I wasn't a fan. ( )

Read this one to my daughter. She loved it. She loves all the Junie B. Jones books. They are great for kids in grades K-2 ( )

Years ago, on a rainy night with no cable, I suggested reading a book to my daughter. The first book was Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus. We had picked up several of the Junie B books from our library to help our girl prepare for kindergarten. Halfway through the book, both she and I were laughing, had tears rolling down our faces, and were die hard fans.

The books focus on the viewpoint of Junie B, a precarious kindergartner who is learning of the world around her, developing relationships and dealing with life in general. She has friends and quasi enemies to come down the road.

In this book, it is Junie B's first day of school and she is a little nervous. She gets on the bus with no small amount of trepedation. What will happen to her at school? Will she like it? Will she hate it? (All questions my child was able to readily relate to.)

Junie B has an interesting day of highs and lows. The best part about this book is that even though things don't all go her way, Junie B tells about her first day in a way that not only let you know she got through it, but also shows she has developed a sense of humor about the lows as well as the highs.

As a mom, I frequently turn to books to help prepare my children for life. This book was a great help with my little one to get her excited to leave the nest and go explore this new world that was opening up to her. To this day, a Junie B. Jones book sighting can cause her to squeal like a 5 year old girl. She will sit on the floor of Target or Walmart and read one of these books while I am shopping. I think we can all agree that's not normal 14 year old girl behavior. She loves these books.

When she found out Barbara Park died, the girl cried. And asked to buy all the books so she can share them with her children in the future (she was concerned they would go out of print). I can't think of a better recommendation of any book series than that. ( )