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, a language arts lesson is used to teach the third-person narrative and build upon students' writing skills. The hands-on math lesson in the second classroom activity focuses on fractions.

About the Books

#5 Junie B. Jones and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake
It's Carnival Night, and Lucille has already won a box of fluffy cupcakes with sprinkles on them. But when Junie B. wins the Cake Walk, she chooses the bestest cake of all-the one wrapped in sparkly aluminum foil. How was she to know it was a lethal weapon?

Barbara Park says...

"For some reason, our family always had bad luck at school carnivals. The year my son David won the Cake Walk, there was only one cake left and it tasted like cardboard. The next year, someone stole my son Steve's new shoes while he was leaping around inside the Moon Walk Tent.

Little did I know that all of these disasters would come in handy when Junie B. Jones went to her own school carnival. In fact, with a little imagination, I found I could make Junie B.'s carnival experience even worse than our own!

Or at least I tried.

Leave it to Junie B. Jones to find the bright side of a fruitcake!"

© 1995 by Barbara Park.

#11 Junie B. Jones Is a Beauty Shop Guy
What's the bestest job ever? A beauty shop guy, that's what! And Junie B. Jones is going to be one when she grows up. But first she needs a little practice. And a few volunteers. Like her bunny slippers. And her dog. And maybe even . . . herself? Is Junie B. on her way to a great new career? Or is she about to have the worst hair day ever?

Barbara Park says...

"When I was a little girl, a trip to the beauty shop seemed almost magical. I loved the rows of sinks and shiny mirrors. But what I especially loved was the giant "spinny" chair where I sat really still and watched the beauty shop lady trim my hair. How would I turn out this time? Would the kids at school still recognize me? And what about that wonderful-smelling hair spray? Would my hair get spritzed, like the hair of all the grown-up ladies sitting around me?

Well, I'm all grown up now, but-I have to admit-sometimes a visit to the beauty shop can still seem pretty magical. It's the only place I can think of where you go in messy and come out neat! That is . . . as long as the person cutting your hair is NOT Junie B. Jones!"

© 1998 by Barbara Park.

Classroom Connections

Pre-Reading Activities
Junie B. attends Carnival Night in Junie B. Jones and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake. Brainstorm with your class about carnivals. What are their favorite rides and games? What types of foods do they eat at carnivals? Have your students draw pictures of themselves at a carnival.

In Junie B. Jones Is a Beauty Shop Guy, Junie B. gives herself a bad haircut and must go to the beauty shop with her father to have her hair fixed up. Ask students what they would like to be when they grow up. Discuss the types of training people must go through to become beauticians, teachers, doctors, etc.

What's the Story?

When Mrs. asks Junie B. to explain why she has come to school with an attractive assortment of hats on her head, Junie B. finds it easier to relate the sad tale of her bad hair day in the form of a "Once Upon a Time" story. Ask your students to create stories relating some of their own experiences in third-person narrations beginning, "Once upon a time, there was a little girl/boy. . . ." Students may choose to write about funny, sad, or embarrassing moments that might be more difficult to express from a first-person perspective.

Junie B.'s Fruity Fractions

After Junie B. fixes herself a less than satisfying breakfast, Grandpa Miller saves the day by slicing some peaches, bananas, and strawberries into a bowl. Divide your class into groups, supplying each with Junie's favorite fruits. Working together with safety knives, have your students divide their fruits into halves, fourths and eighths. Using their fractional fruit pieces, they can engage in addition and subtraction activities 1/4 + 3/4 = 1; as well as exercises in equivalent fractions 1/2 = 2/4 = 4/8. Finally, ask students to identify their own favorite fruit and draw pictures of it to illustrate whole, halves, quarters, and eighths illustrations.

Printable Activities

For use with #11 Junie B. Jones Is a Beauty Shop Guy
Junie B.'s Beauty Shop Maze

For use with #5 Junie B. Jones and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake
Junie B.'s Carnival Guessing Game
Fun with Fruitcake

Rosemary B. Stimola, Ph.D. teaches Children's Literature at Hostos Community College/City University of New York and serves as educational and editorial consultant to publishers of children's books.