9 Books That Are Perfect for Your Junie B. Jones Fan
by Tom Burns
Barbara Park’s Junie B. Jones series is massively popular with beginning readers and it’s easy to see why. Junie B. (always remember the “B”) is confident, direct, and says all the things that a kindergartner or first grader wishes they could say. This is a girl who, on her very first day of school, hid in a supply closet, ran amok in the nurse’s office, and called 911 to help with a bathroom emergency, all to avoid taking the bus home (a story hilariously told in Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus). To steal one of her catchphrases, she’s the “bestest.”
If your emerging reader is a Junie B. addict, here are nine other books they might love, all featuring similarly headstrong young women, who, like Junie B., would never ride a stupid, smelly bus without first giving you a piece of their mind.
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Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus: The Graphic Novel
Available from:Of course, any Junie B. fan is going to love experiencing this spunky character in an irresistible graphic novel format. Vibrant and fun illustrations offer a fresh take on the original hilarious series.
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King & Kayla Series
Available from:Young readers will love these illustrated mystery novels featuring a precocious girl and her loyal dog. From secret codes to lost library books, King and Kayla piece together the clues and solve each mystery that comes their way.
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Secret Spy Society Series
Available from:Three girls with a penchant for mischief crack case after case in this delightful chapter book series. When a famous spy’s pet cheetah goes missing, Peggy, Rita, and Dot dive into a world filled with secret codes, disguises, and double agents.
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Dory Fantasmagory Series
Available from:Dory is a spunky, adventurous little girl with a wild imagination. Whether she’s navigating a new friendship or getting lost in a hardware store, Dory’s arch nemesis, Mrs. Gobble Gracker, shows up to ruin the day. Kids who love highly illustrated books with laugh-out-loud stories will devour every book in this hilarious series.
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Pippi Longstocking
Available from:The original bad girl of children’s literature, Pippi is a Swedish national treasure and a perennial favorite for kids everywhere. Who wouldn’t want to live next door to the strongest girl in the world, the daughter of a sea captain who takes you on adventures with her pet horse, a monkey named Mr. Nilsson, and a suitcase filled with gold? She and Junie B. would become fast friends. (Or tear each other apart.)
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Too Small Tola
Available from:In Lagos, young Tola lives with her family in the bustling city. This book contains three slice-of-life stories featuring the courageous and headstrong Tola and her family. Readers who enjoy exploring other cultures and comparing the similarities and differences to their own lives will love this book.
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Bibsy Cross Series
Available from:Bibsy is a clever girl passionate about living life to the fullest. Whether she’s participating in a bike-a-thon to raise money for her local library or creating the perfect time capsule, she tackles each day with boundless energy.
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Anne Arrives
Available from:Junie B. Jones fans will love this chapter book adaptation of the beloved classic Anne of Green Gables. In this first book, Anne gets adopted by Matthew and Martha and arrives at her new home in Green Gables. With simple, easy-to-read text and full-color illustrations, this book will be a hit with young readers.
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Get Ready for Second Grade, Amber Brown
Available from:Paula Danziger’s “A is for Amber Brown” books – a prequel series to her popular middle-grade novels – allow beginning readers to meet a young Amber back when she was Junie B. Jones’s age. In Get Ready for Second Grade, Amber negotiates her excitement and her anxieties about starting a new school year. While the Amber Brown early readers are more realistic and less comedic than the Junie B. books (her parents frequently argue), Amber and Junie are spiritual cousins who both aren’t afraid to tell their readers what’s really on their minds.
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2025.