Barbara Park Books in Order

The Recommended Reading Order Path

For most readers, the ultimate starting point for Barbara Park's books is her iconic Junie B. Jones series. Because the series directly tracks the main character’s growth from a chaotic five-year-old in kindergarten to an only-slightly-wiser first grader, we highly recommend reading these books in strict publication (and chronological) order.

Here is how to tackle the different parts of her catalog:

• Step 1: The Kindergarten Years (Books 1–17): Start at the very beginning with Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus. Read these sequentially to watch Junie B. adjust to school, make friends, and develop her trademark unfiltered personality.
• Step 2: The First Grade Transition (Books 18–28): Move on to Junie B., First Grader (at Last!). This subseries marks a major milestone where Junie B. graduates to a new classroom, gets glasses, and meets new friends.
• Step 3: Standalones and Companion Journals: Dive into the companion activity books like Top-Secret Personal Beeswax and her humor-filled standalone middle-grade novels like Skinnybones and Mick Harte Was Here.

Publication Order of Junie B. Jones (Kindergarten)

These initial 17 books introduce readers to Junie B. as she navigates the trials and tribulations of kindergarten. They should be read in order:

1. Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus (1992)
2. Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business (1993)
3. Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth (1993)
4. Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying (1994)
5. Junie B. Jones and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake (1995)
6. Junie B. Jones and That Meanie Jim's Birthday (1996)
7. Junie B. Jones Loves Handsome Warren (1996)
8. Junie B. Jones Has a Monster Under Her Bed (1997)
9. Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal (1997)
10. Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook (1997)
11. Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy (1998)
12. Junie B. Jones Is a Beauty Shop Guy (1998)
13. Junie B. Jones Is a Flower Girl (1999)
14. Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentime (1999)
15. Junie B. Jones Has a Peep in Her Pocket (2000)
16. Junie B. Jones Is Captain Field Day (2001)
17. Junie B. Jones Is a Graduation Girl (2001)

Publication Order of Junie B., First Grader Books

In 2001, Barbara Park transition Junie B. to the first grade. While these are numbered sequentially following the kindergarten books in modern collections, they are officially cataloged as their own subseries starting with her graduation:

1. Junie B., First Grader (at Last!) (2001)
2. Boss of Lunch (2002)
3. Toothless Wonder (2002)
4. Cheater Pants (2003)
5. One-Man Band (2003)
6. Shipwrecked (2004)
7. Boo...and I Mean it! (2004)
8. Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! (2005)
9. Aloha-ha-ha! (2006)
10. Dumb Bunny (2007)
11. *Junie B.'s Essential Survival Guide to School* (2009)
12. *Turkeys We Have Loved and Eaten (and Other Thankful Stuff)* (2012)

Junie B. Jones Interactive and Activity Companions

These supplementary companion books are designed to get young readers interacting with the text, drawing, and solving puzzles. They can be enjoyed at any point alongside the First Grade books:

• Top-Secret Personal Beeswax: A Journal by Junie B. (and me!) (2003)
• Junie B.'s These Puzzles Hurt My Brain! Book (2011)
• Junie B. My Valentime (2013)

Other Series by Barbara Park

Long before Junie B. took the world by storm, Park wrote several beloved, lighthearted middle-grade series. These are highly recommended for older readers ready to transition out of early chapter books:

The Don't Make Me Smile Duology

This series centers on young Jerry McDevitt as he copes with his parents' divorce and the realities of a new stepfamily. They should be read in order:

1. Don't Make Me Smile (1981)
2. My Mother Got Married (And Other Relation Disasters) (1989)

The Skinnybones Duology

An incredibly funny series about Alex Frankovitch, a small kid with a massive mouth who has to navigate Little League baseball and school commercial contests.

1. Skinnybones (1982)
2. Almost Starring Skinnybones (1988)

The Geek Chronicles

This trilogy follows three elementary school outsiders—Maxie, Rosie, and Earl—who form an unlikely alliance when they land in trouble together. Read them in order:

1. Maxie, Rosie, and Earl- Partners In Grime (1990)
2. Rosie Swanson: Fourth-Grade Geek for President (1991)
3. *Dear God, Help!!! Love, Earl* (1993)

Standalone Novels & Picture Books

Park also wrote several acclaimed standalone middle-grade books, shifting effortlessly between side-splitting comedy and heavy emotional topics. She also penned charming picture books for younger kids.

Standalone Middle-Grade Novels

• Operation: Dump the Chump (1982)
• Beanpole (1983)
• Buddies (1985)
• The Kid in the Red Jacket (1987)
• Mick Harte Was Here (1995) — A poignant, widely praised story dealing with grief after a sibling's accidental death.
• Psssst! It's Me...the Bogeyman (1998)
• The Graduation of Jake Moon (2000) — A moving story examining a boy's relationship with his grandfather who has Alzheimer's disease.

Short Stories, Plays, and Picture Books

• *Funnyman and Other Plays* (1990) — A short story play collection.
• Ma! There's Nothing to Do Here!: A Word from Your Baby-in-Waiting (2008) — A picture book written from the perspective of an unborn child.
• The Adventures of Lily Leaf (2011) — Picture book.

What to Know Before You Start

The Junie B. Jones books are widely praised for their pitch-perfect rendition of a young child's inner voice, grammar mistakes, and spelling quirks included. However, some parents and teachers note that Junie B. occasionally uses words like "stupid" or "dumb" and exhibits sassy behavior. If you are reading these with younger children, it is a great opportunity to talk about school rules, kind language, and growing up.

For older kids, Park's middle-grade novels (especially Skinnybones) offer the same signature wit, while books like Mick Harte Was Here and The Graduation of Jake Moon are excellent choices for discussing emotional themes like loss and aging family members.