Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth (Junie B. Jones, Book 3)

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Impulsive Junie faces Career Day -- early readers.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that much of the humor comes from Junie's bad behavior. Young readers are supposed to laugh at it, not emulate it.


What's the story?

Loud and impulsive kindergartner Junie B. Jones is usually highly opinionated, but when her teacher announces Career Day, she isn't sure what she wants to be when she grows up. She's pretty sure it will involve painting, keys, and saving people, but there's no job that includes all that. Or is there?


Is it any good?

 

The zany antics of spoiled young kids has been done many times, and often better. The Junie series (approaching 30 books at last count) is amusing to most 6-year-olds, which keeps early readers reading, and it's mostly harmless and silly fun. What makes it so much less effective as literature than many others series, though, is the failure to engage Junie as a real character. She behaves outrageously, which is the source of the humor, but the author never really lets us know why, which means the reader is usually laughing at her, rather than in sympathy with her.

Still, it serves its main purpose -- to give kids something easy and fun and repetitive on which to sharpen their reading skills -- well enough. And parents can look forward to the day when their children graduate to books with a little more meat.


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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about Junie's behavior. Why does she act the way she does? What are some of the things she misunderstands?

  • How would you have solved some of her problems?

  • The book's theme may
    inspire conversations with kids about what they would like to be when
    they grow up.


This review was written by Matt Berman
Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Awful
I am left of the left when it comes to most anything in this world. And, I eagerly encourage my children to read and love books. HOWEVER, Junie B. Jones is the closest I've ever gotten to banning a book in our house. The grammar/language is just horrible and the stories of misbehavior are way too numerous and validates, for a preschooler,rude behavior.

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Kid, 11 years old
March 20, 2010
 
good
It's a good story but Junie can be a bad role model

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Kid, 10 years old
April 4, 2010
 
funny
I love the book so much! the books are so funny.

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Adult
March 23, 2011
 
Ahh, the fond memories. :)
Every time we had a book fair in elementary school, I would get a new Junie B. Jones. They were my favorites! Yes, Junie B. can be very silly and sometimes a bit of a "brat." But she's no different than any other normal child, and that's the beauty of this series. Children can relate to her, and Junie B. is always taught a lesson, therefore the books DISCOURAGE the "bad" behavior that Junie B. has, not encourage it. I remember a book that was about Junie B. stealing stuff from the "Lost and Found" box, and she eventually returned what she had taken and was truly sorry for doing it. What's wrong with that? In order for kids to learn something from a book, there has to be a little bit of bad behavior exemplified. Language? There is none. I don't know where that came from, but don't listen to people who say there's language. These are great for any age. In fact, I still enjoy reading them every now and then and I'm 18. lol

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Kid, 12 years old
December 19, 2010
 
I liked reading this series when I was a younger kid. It is a silly type of book.

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Kid, 9 years old
September 5, 2010
 
no title
i love all of the books too

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Parent of 8 year old
February 16, 2010
 
I think this book is very cute, my 7 yr old loves it. She loves all the Junie B Jones books.

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Parent of 11 year old
February 6, 2010
 
BAD ROLE MODEL
Junie is apealing but also a bad role model. Her languge includes words I don't want my kids saying(Not curses... but not good) Her stories include hideing out in the supply closet after school, her mother being pregnant, giving herself a haircut, and dragging a dead fish on a leash and calling it a pet. Junie also is a little voilent. Although her actoins are great comedies, it is bad role modling. I would not let my kid read this.

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Teen, 15 years old
February 15, 2010
 
HORRIBLE!!!!
okay, so i read this series when i was 6. even then i thought junie b. was too rude, impulsive, and a bad, bad, VERY bad role model! if you respect yourself, don't let your kids read this. or yourself. kids will get a bad idea of how to act in front of grownups.

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Teen, 17 years old
January 4, 2011
 
junie b dumb bunny
i read two of your books at school your so funny i wish i was your fan your the best can i get a real picture of you i love you as my best friend

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This review was written by Matt Berman
Author:Barbara Park
Illustrator:Denise Brunkus
Book type:Fiction
Genre:School
Publisher:Random House
Publication date:May 7, 2006
Number of pages:69
Paperback price:$3.99
Publisher's recommended age(s):6 - 9
Read aloud:5
Read alone:6

This review was written by Matt Berman
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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