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

Book review by Matt Berman, Common Sense Media
Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth: Junie B. Jones, Book 3 Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 5+

Impulsive Junie faces Career Day -- early readers.

Barbara Park School 2006
Rate book

Parents say

age 6+

Based on 30 reviews

Kids say

age 5+

Based on 32 reviews

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Rate book

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

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.

Community Reviews

Lebron45James6
Lebron45James6 Adult
August 18, 2022
age 9+

Same problem

See my review of the entire series
KFonda22
KFonda22 Adult
January 11, 2021
age 5+

Teaching kids to using insulting language

I was very dissapointed in Junie's frequent rude and innapropriate language. She uses the phrase "big fat mouth" and "stupid" often and never once does an adult reprimand her or tell her that it's rude and mean to refer to other people in that way. We teach kindness in actions and words in our home and when my daughter's teacher started reading this series to her kindergarten class I was very surprised by Junie's attitude and behavior.
See all 30 parent reviews

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.

Talk to Your Kids 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.

Book Details

Our Editors Recommend

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate