Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business

Barbara Park's Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business is a very funny story for 8 year olds about a kindergartner who takes Grandma at her word about the new baby.

What happens

This is Junie B.'s second book. And she is NOT impressed about a baby. Her parents said they had a surprise, and a surprise is supposed to mean a present. Also, babies smell like P.U. (she's smelled one).

Then her brother arrives, and Grandma Miller says he's the cutest little monkey she has ever seen. Long fingers. Long toes. Lots of black hair.

So at Show and Tell, Junie B. tells her whole kindergarten class that her new brother is a real, alive baby monkey. She might even bring him in on Pet Day.

Suddenly everyone wants to see him first. Lucille hands over her gold locket. Grace hands over her snack ticket and then her brand new pink high tops. Things escalate very quickly (all the way to the principal's office).

As with all the Junie B. books, you're right inside her head, and her logic is perfect (to her). A crib is a bed with bars, like a cage at the zoo. "We'll see" means no. "Maybe" doesn't mean no! Grown-ups reading along will be laughing just as hard.

Junie B. talks the way a kindergartner really talks. So you'll get "runned" and "bestest", and plenty of "dumb" and "stupid" too. Some parents love that and some don't, so it's good to know going in.

There's a sweet little moment near the end when she finds out the truth and her eyes go a little bit wet. Then she gets to meet her real brother, and it's lovely.

If your reader has a new baby at home (or one on the way), they'll probably recognise every grumpy feeling in here. Who hasn't felt a bit put out when all the new stuff goes to someone else?

What to read next

If this is their first Junie B., the series starts with Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus, all about her very first day of school and a bus ride she's dreading.