About the Junie B. Jones Book and This Guide

Meet Junie B. Jones, that lovable, mischievous kindergartner, in this humorous series by Barbara Park. Follow Junie B. from her first day of kindergarten to her last as she gets into one scrape after another. While laughing along with Junie B. and her friends your students will begin to expand their word recognition, develop a sense of story, and begin to read these early chapter books on their own.

In this guide, words and their meanings are discussed with a lesson in the difference between literal and figurative language as well as the definitions of two important words finding and stealing. Both of these topics are found in the books Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business (#2) and Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook (#9).

Students can use the easy-to-download word scramble to find the names of the animals found on Baby Ollie's wallpaper or study about their family tree.

About the Books

# 2 Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business
It's pooey on B-A-B-I-E-S until Junie B. finds out that her new dumb old baby brother is a big fat deal. Her two bestest friends are giving her everything they own just to see him. And guess what else? Maybe she can bring him to school on Pet Day.

Barbara Park says...
"When I was in elementary school, I used to dream about having a baby sister. In my dream, she would follow me around adoringly while I taught her everything I knew. Then — when she got big enough — we would join forces to overthrow my older brother, and the sisters would rule! Okay, fine. It was only a dream. But when I decided to add a new member to Junie B.'s family, I was surprised to learn that, unlike me, she wasn't happy about having a new baby around at all. But what if it wasn't an ordinary baby? What if it was — a baby monkey? Yes, of course! She'd love that. Come to think of it, I would have loved it, too. My brother wouldn't have stood a chance."
©1993 Barbara Park

#9 Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook
Junie B.'s missing mittens are not in the Lost and Found. So when she finds a wonderful pen on the floor, it's only fair that she should get to keep it, right? Right?

Barbara Park says...
"Finders keepers, losers weepers . . ."
I used to love that poem when I was little. Whenever I would find a 'treasure' in the street, I would pick it up — happily sing finders keepers, losers weepers — and carry it right home. Then came the day that I accidentally left my brand-new red shoes in the girl's bathroom at school. By the time I ran back for them, they were already gone. Now someone else was singing Finders keepers, losers weepers. And suddenly, I didn't like that stupid poem at all! I still don't! (And by the end of this book, neither does Junie B. Jones!"
©1997 Barbara Park

Classroom Connections

Pre-Reading Activities

In Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business, Junie B.'s new little brother is brought home from the hospital and joins the family. Find out from your class where they are in their family tree and discuss how they feel about being the oldest, youngest, only child.

Does your class or school have a "Lost and Found Box"? If you do, discuss with your students why it is important for them to have a place to bring found items and make sure they know where it is. If not, decide on where such a box can be kept and make one for your class or school.

In A Pickle

Junie B.'s confusion with figurative expressions like, "Cute as a monkey" or "Curiosity killed the cat" often places her "in a pickle". Using examples of such statements found in Junie B.'s books, introduce students to the difference between literal and figurative language and how use of the latter often serves to make writing more "colorful." Then, ask students to contribute additional expressions for class discussion from their own experiences. Students may then have a "barrel of fun" interpreting selected phrases literally in drawings accompanied by written descriptions of their intended meanings.

As an additional follow-up, older students may incorporate figurative expressions in creative writing assignments of their own. No "couch potatoes" allowed!

Finders Keepers?

Junie B.'s search for her "stolen" furry mittens brings her up against the fine line that sometimes distinguishes "finding" and "stealing." Define these words with students, highlighting how they are different. With these terms in mind, ask students to reflect on the scenes in which Junie found the nickel in the street, the teddy backpack in the Lost and Found, and the multi-colored pen by the water fountain. Discuss also the actions of the person who found Grandpa Miller's wallet and the Pink Fluffy Girl who kept Junie's mittens.

Present students with a variety of "lost object" scenarios, further illustrating the difference between "finding" or "stealing." For example, "You find a dollar buried in the beach sand while building a sand castle and you decide to keep it; and You see a dollar fall out of a women's purse on the bus and you decide to keep it." Older students may be asked to write a short story about a "lost or found" situation, describing what they lost/found, what they did, why they did it and whether or not they would still do the same.

Printable Activites

For use with #2 From Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Busines
Junie B.'s Monkey Business Answers

Monkeying Around With Junie B.