School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-4-In her fourth "First Grader" book, Junie B. grapples with the ethical issue of cheating and learns how to work collaboratively. She gets caught after she copies a homework assignment. Later, she and another student confess to cheating on a spelling test. Between these two episodes, Junie B. and three classmates have a great experience writing a cinquain poem on friendship. The story wraps up nicely with the protagonist getting support from her parents and a cinquain composed by her teacher, commending her on her honesty. This beginning chapter book is written in first-person narrative with occasional journal entries. Dollops of humor keep the plot from being heavy-handed. The adults and children are believably portrayed, and the comical drawings match the tone of the story.-Marilyn Ackerman, Brooklyn Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Kindergarten Room Nine faces off against Room Eight on Field Day, with Junie B. Jones as its cutesy-obnoxious team captain. The condescending kindergarten-speak humor ("Oh no! My shoe flied right off my foot!") quickly becomes grating; the author throws in frequent winks over her protagonist's head. Caricature pencil sketches illustrate each chapter in this popular series. From HORN BOOK Spring 2004, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Gr. 1-2. No one wants to be a cheater pants, a nasty, rotten ratty pants, especially not first-grader Junie B. Jones. However, in the latest addition to Park's popular early chapter-book series, Junie B. is indeed guilty as charged. One day when she neglects to do her homework, she leans over to copy prissy, perfect, punctual May's paper. After being busted in an embarrassing fashion, Junie B. laments in her journal, I wish I could disappear into thin hair. Fortunately, with the help of her teacher, Mr. Scary, she learns her lesson: she wasn't borrowing May's homework, she was, in fact, cheating. Or was she? Park creates a wonderful classroom of distinct personalities, reflecting the best and most irksome parts of being a kid with equal aplomb. Junie B. is quite entertaining--if you can get used to the deliberately odd constructions such as I did a gasp at that thing. Brunkus' comical, distinctly Eloise-like pencil illustrations suit the precocious Junie B. to a T. --Karin Snelson Copyright 2003 Booklist