The Recommended Reading Order for Junie B. Jones
For the best reading experience, the Junie B. Jones series should be read in chronological order, which matches its publication order. Because Junie grows, changes grades, and makes new friends, reading the books in sequence allows young readers to follow her developmental journey and understand recurring jokes. The series is divided into two primary eras: the Kindergarten Era (Books 1–17) and the First Grade Era (Books 18–28), accompanied by interactive companion books and modern graphic novel adaptations.
1. The Kindergarten Era (Books 1–17)
The series begins with five-year-old Junie B. entering school for the very first time. In these seventeen books, she navigates the ups and downs of kindergarten, from riding the school bus to losing her first tooth and eventually graduating. Read these books in this order:
- Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus (1992) – Junie B. is afraid to ride the bus home, so she hides in a classroom closet.
- Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business (1993) – Junie B. misinterprets the news of her new baby brother Ollie, believing he is a literal monkey.
- Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth (1993) – Junie B. makes boastful claims about her future career for Job Day and struggles to back them up.
- Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying (1994) – Junie B. gets caught spying on her kindergarten teacher.
- Junie B. Jones and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake (1995) – Junie B. tries to win big at the school carnival but ends up with an unwanted prize.
- Junie B. Jones and That Meanie Jim's Birthday (1996) – Junie B. deals with not being invited to her classmate's birthday party.
- Junie B. Jones Loves Handsome Warren (1996) – A new boy arrives at school, and Junie B. does everything she can to impress him.
- Junie B. Jones Has a Monster Under Her Bed (1997) – Junie B. becomes convinced that a monster is waiting for her under her bed.
- Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal (1997) – Junie B. attends her very first sleepover, which does not go quite as planned.
- Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook (1997) – After losing her favorite pen, Junie B. finds a cool multi-colored pen and faces a moral dilemma.
- Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy (1998) – Denied the right to bring her dog to Pet Day, Junie B. brings a jar of fish sticks instead.
- Junie B. Jones Is a Beauty Shop Guy (1998) – Junie B. decides to give herself a dramatic new haircut.
- Junie B. Jones Is a Flower Girl (1999) – Junie B. learns the hard way that being in a wedding is a lot of pressure.
- Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentime (1999) – Junie B. receives a mystery Valentine and goes on a hunt to find out who sent it.
- Junie B. Jones Has a Peep in Her Pocket (2000) – A kindergarten field trip to a farm turns scary when Junie B. fears the farm animals.
- Junie B. Jones Is Captain Field Day (2001) – Junie B. is chosen to lead her kindergarten team during field day games.
- Junie B. Jones Is a Graduation Girl (2001) – Junie B. prepares to finish kindergarten but must keep her graduation gown clean.
2. The First Grade Era (Books 18–28)
Starting with Book 18, Junie B. steps up to first grade. This era introduces new friends (like Herb), a new teacher (Mr. Scary), and new challenges like wearing glasses and losing teeth. The official storybooks continue in this sequence:
- Junie B., First Grader (at Last!) (2001) – Junie B. starts first grade, gets glasses, and meets her new classmate, Herb.
- Junie B., First Grader: Boss of Lunch (2002) – Junie B. gets to help out in the school cafeteria.
- Junie B., First Grader: Toothless Wonder (2002) – Junie B. is the first in her class to lose a tooth, but she is afraid of the Tooth Fairy.
- Junie B., First Grader: Cheater Pants (2003) – Junie B. accidentally copies someone else's work and learns about honesty.
- Junie B., First Grader: One-Man Band (2003) – After a kickball injury, Junie B. has to find a creative way to participate in the halftime show.
- Junie B., First Grader: Shipwrecked (2004) – Junie B. stars in a school play about Christopher Columbus that goes off course.
- Junie B., First Grader: Boo...and I Mean It! (2004) – Junie B. conquers her fears of Halloween monsters and trick-or-treating.
- Junie B., First Grader: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! (P.S. So Does May.) (2005) – Junie B. is drawn as Secret Santa for her classroom rival, Tattletale May.
- Junie B., First Grader: Aloha-ha-ha! (2006) – Junie B. goes on a family vacation to Hawaii and documents it with a disposable camera.
- Junie B., First Grader: Dumb Bunny (2007) – Lucille hosts an Easter egg hunt, and Junie B. wins a giant, clumsy bunny suit.
- Junie B. Jones #28: Turkeys We Have Loved and Eaten (and Other Thankful Stuff) (2012) – The final storybook in the series features Mr. Scary's class celebrating Thanksgiving and competing for a feast.
Companion and Activity Books
Barbara Park wrote three interactive companion books. These are non-fiction journals and activity guides rather than standalone stories. Readers can enjoy them at any point, though they fit best alongside the first-grade books:
- Top-Secret Personal Beeswax: A Journal by Junie B. (and me!) (2003) – A guided journal filled with prompts, drawings, and questions for young readers to answer alongside Junie B.
- Junie B.'s Essential Survival Guide to School (2009) – A guide containing tips, tricks, and advice from Junie B. on how to survive the school year.
- Junie B.'s These Puzzles Hurt My Brain! Book (2011) – A collection of interactive puzzles, mazes, and word games.
- Junie B. My Valentime (2013) – A card-making and sticker companion book published posthumously.
The New Graphic Novel Adaptations
In recent years, Penguin Random House has begun adapting the classic chapter books into full-color graphic novels. Illustrated by Ashley Harrell, these editions bring the same stories to life with visual comic formats, ideal for visual learners and modern comic fans. They follow the same reading order as the original books:
- Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus: The Graphic Novel (2024)
- Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business: The Graphic Novel (2024)
- Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth: The Graphic Novel (2025)
- Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying: The Graphic Novel (Expected late 2026)
What to Know Before You Start
Before introducing children to Junie B. Jones, parents and educators should be aware of a few unique traits of the series. The stories are written in the first person from Junie's point of view, reflecting the authentic voice of a young child. Because of this, she uses child-like grammar (such as 'favoritest,' 'runned,' and 'holded') and sometimes calls classmates names like 'dumb' or 'stupid.' While this authenticity makes her highly relatable and funny to children, it has occasionally made the books controversial, landing them on the American Library Association's list of challenged books. Most educators recommend using these moments as teaching opportunities to discuss proper grammar and classroom manners with young readers.