What’s so great about Juno B. Jones?

Question

So I am on the fence about purchasing this book series. I haven’t read a full book yet but I’ve read samples and see how she calls people “stupid” and “dumb”.   All the kinder & first grade teachers at my school absolutely LOVE Junie B. & read the books to their students.    I’ve been thinking about trying it for my students because I keep hearing how funny it is & relatable to the students but honestly is it worth it?  Could I skip the ‘stupids’ and ‘dumbs’ in the book?   I just do not feel comfortable saying these words to my students.  I get that you can teach them how it isn’t right, but if Junie B constantly says it, can it really be a teaching moment?  
Before I make a decision, I would love to hear what you guys have to say about it.  Do you read it to your child?  Why or why not?

Answer

I remember reading them at that age and I loved them dearly. They're supposed to be relatable to kids and I definitely saw my 6 year old self in her character. You could turn the language into a teachable moment if you feel that strongly about it.

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Try Magic Tree House!!

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I don't remember the books really all that much but I remember absolutely LOVING Junie B Jones!

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Junie B Jones is a very pessimistic person - generally she learns her lesson by the end of the book, but she repeats the cycle with each issue she comes across. You can use it as a teaching tool to discuss how your students might choose to handle the situation - one book I remember, she gets a younger sibling. Which can be really hard for young children. It can definitely be valuable and worth while, you're just going to have to do some foot work to get the lessons out of it that you want.

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I like the books. My 2 daughters really enjoyed reading them. I thought it showed that not all children are perfect and things don’t always go the way you want them to go. I thought they were really cute.

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I remember reading one when I was a kid and not liking it at all.  Even back then I found her to be rather rude and I, personally, couldn't relate to her. But she's so popular. Maybe I missed something.

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I taught kindergarten for 5 years (now moved on to the older grades) and I LOVED reading Junie B. aloud to my kinders. Her grammar is horrible, she’s a bit of a brat, and she says dumb and stupid...but she’s so funny and relatable. I had so many kid coming in saying/knowing soooo much worse than that, it really wasn’t a big deal. I turned her grammar mistakes into a mini lesson (we would correct her together) and Junie B. always learns her lesson in the end. 
Even if you don’t feel comfortable reading the Junie B. books aloud, please don’t block your students’ access to those books. For some kids, she may be just right. Any book they’re reading is better than hours glued to a screen. 
Just my two cents 🤗

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I read them to my kindergarten students. They found them very funny and relatable. I skipped over some of the "stupids" and "dumbs" in the books. We talked about how those weren't nice words and just because Junie says them doesn't mean that everyone should. I recommend them for sure! Great lessons for kiddos!

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I remember loving the books as a kid, so I was about to buy them for my 6 year old. After looking at them online I chose not too because I was afraid she would think the bad behavior was funny and mimic it.

Answer

I loved the books as a kid, they we're what really got me into reading. You could always use her language as a lesson on how to properly speak to your peers.

What’s so great about Juno B. Jones?

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