Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus

The New York Times best-selling Junie B. Jones series follows the plucky and spirited five-year-old girl Junie B. Jones as she navigates her elementary school experience in kindergarten and first grade. Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus (1992) is the first in the series, which includes 28 titles. Subsequent books in the series include Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business (1993), Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth (1993), Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying (1994), Junie B. Jones and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake (1995), Junie B. Jones and That Meanie Jim's Birthday (1996), Junie B. Jones Loves Handsome Warren (1996), Junie B. Jones Has a Monster Under Her Bed (1997), Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook (1997), Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal (1997), Junie B. Jones Is a Beauty Shop Guy (1998), Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy (1998), Junie B. Jones Is (Almost) a Flower Girl (1999), Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentime (1999), Junie B. Jones Has a Peep in Her Pocket (2000), Junie B. Jones Is Captain Field Day (2001), Junie B. Jones Is a Graduation Girl (2001), Junie B., First Grader (at Last!) (2001), Junie B., First Grader: Boss of Lunch (2002), Junie B., First Grader: Toothless Wonder (2002), Junie B., First Grader: Cheater Pants (2003), Junie B., First Grader: One-Man Band (2003), Junie B., First Grader: Shipwrecked (2003), Junie B., First Grader: Boo...and I MEAN IT! (2004), Junie B., First Grader: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! (P.S. So Does May.) (2005), Junie B., First Grader: Aloha-ha-ha! (2006), Junie B., First Grader: Dumb Bunny! (2007), and Junie B., First Grader: Turkeys We Have Loved and Eaten (and Other Thankful Stuff) (2012). 

The series is especially popular and beloved because of Junie B.’s relatability and precociousness, the humor and empathy with which Park portrays her experiences, and its positive messages about family and friendship. Junie B. experiences several common frustrations and joys, and this makes her very relatable to the young readers who share them. As the parent-focused website Common Sense Media highlights, “Junie B. sometimes loses her temper and acts out; she might say she hates another kid, and she and her classmates sometimes push or fight, but there’s nothing outside of common childish behavior” (“Parents’ Guide to Junie B. Jones Series.” Common Sense Media). In Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus and several other texts in the series, she gets irritated when adults ignore her questions and disregard her feelings, as well as when other children behave in ways that feel unfair. For example, Junie B. gets annoyed when she must sit in a “stupid yellow chair [that is] the same stupid color as the stupid yellow bus” and shouts out, “I HATE THIS STUPID DUMB CIRCLE” (23), when she neglects to leave room for her “B.” on her nametag. Because such occurrences are common among children, many of Junie B.’s readers can relate to her feelings.

Further, while Park writes about Junie B.’s experiences with empathy and respect, as opposed to condescension or dismissiveness, she presents them humorously. Junie B. “gets to the point and is very direct when explaining situations or answering questions, which is one aspect of the humor in the books. It is easy to fall in love with [her], because we can appreciate her honesty and lack of inhibition” (Gilmore, Anna. “First Opinion: The Humor and Honesty of Junie B. Jones.” First Opinions, Second Reactions, vol. 5, no. 3, 2012). Junie B. does not hold back, correcting her teacher when Mrs. forgets her “B.,” yelling out when she feels irritated, and quietly—but frankly—conveying her dislike of Jim when Mrs. admonishes her to speak softly. She is just as effusive when expressing her joy, as well, calling four different objects some variation of her “favorite thing in the whole world” (27). At the same time, Park treats Junie B.’s emotions with seriousness and gravity because that is how they feel to her, even if they are not always serious to the adults in her circle. When Mother scolds her for hiding instead of getting on the bus, the description of Junie B.’s “eyes [getting] wet again” makes her sympathetic (68). It also highlights the fact that Junie B. made her choices based on concern and fear rather than disobedience or any desire to be contrary. Further, Junie B.’s language shows that she doesn’t always connect effects to their causes, and this can make the world more confusing and irritating, such as when she says, regarding her nametag, “a mistake happened” (24). She doesn’t say, “I made a mistake,” which would indicate an understanding that she doesn’t have enough room for her “B.” because she didn’t think ahead. Her experience demonstrates how challenging it is for children her age to consider consequences or effects, as well as how frustrating this can be.

The series often conveys positive messages regarding even the most frustrating of Junie B.’s experiences. Although Mother gets grouchy when Junie B. doesn’t ride the bus home, she does finally try to understand and assuage Junie B.’s fears after she learns what they are. This helps Junie B. feel a lot less apprehensive about riding the bus the next day.