(4) 1-3 Stepping Stone series. Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. Junie B. Jones's comic mishaps on her first day of school will elicit laughs from young readers, but the first-person narration by a kindergartner quickly becomes tedious, and the net result is more annoying than amusing. This edition features color illustrations and new appended material, including an author interview conducted by Junie B. and a conversation with the artist.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(4) 1-3 Stepping Stone series. Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. Boisterous first-grader Junie B. Jones and her over-the-top classmates exasperate their teacher making a Thankful List for a school-wide contest, but they achieve mutual appreciation during the class Thanksgiving feast. The hyper-enthusiastic narration stays on one note, but young readers will enjoy Junie B.'s growing awareness of her world. Brunkus's caricatured illustrations waver between cute and obnoxious.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) 1-3 Stepping Stone series. Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. This volume includes two of the cutesy, precocious first grader's adventures: Junie B., First Grader (at Last!) and Junie B., First Grader: Toothless Wonder. Fans will welcome the compilation.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) PS Illustrated by Viviana Garofoli. A baby-to-be laments having nothing to do in utero: "I'm all in a heap here. My feet are asleep here. I'm flat out of space. I've got knees in my face." Readers may find this fetus's-eye-view a revelation, not to mention very funny, especially thanks to illustrations of a jumbo-headed, umbilical-corded babe whose fantasies include driving a truck.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 1-3 Stepping Stone series. Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. Junie B. is determined to find the golden Easter egg and win a play date in Lucille's heated pool. But a big-footed bunny costume puts a damper on her egg-hunting style. The all-exclamation-points-all-the-time! dialogue grows tiresome, but Park's humor will please her many fans (though much of it's over their heads). Lively caricatures by Brunkus display the text's energy.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) 1-3 Stepping Stone series. Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. Hyper-exuberant first-grader Junie B. Jones is on vacation, terrorizing her parents, her fellow airline passengers, snorkelers, and nature hikers on her boisterous trip to Hawaii. Humorous black-and-white pictures ratchet up the hilarity. Although Junie B.'s shtick is a bit babyish for first grade, readers will enjoy discerning between the exaggerations and the reality of her slanted first-person narration.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) 1-3 Stepping Stone series. Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. Junie B. Jones, the precocious, naive, exasperating first grader, has a run-in with the temptation to cheat in Cheater Pants and is the star of halftime when a sore toe keeps her out of the kickball tournament in One-Man Band. The cutesy baby talk grates, but Junie B.'s overwrought feelings will be instantly recognizable. Brunkus's personality-plus drawings are scattered throughout. [Review covers these Stepping Stone titles: Junie B., First Grader: Cheater Pants and Junie B., First Grader: One-Man Band.]

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) 1-3 Stepping Stone series. Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. Junie B. Jones, the precocious, naive, exasperating first grader, has a run-in with the temptation to cheat in Cheater Pants and is the star of halftime when a sore toe keeps her out of the kickball tournament in One-Man Band. The cutesy baby talk grates, but Junie B.'s overwrought feelings will be instantly recognizable. Brunkus's personality-plus drawings are scattered throughout. [Review covers these Stepping Stone titles: Junie B., First Grader: Cheater Pants and Junie B., First Grader: One-Man Band.]

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) 1-3 Stepping Stone series. Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. In Graduation, Junie B. drips grape juice on her cap and gown and tries to hide the stains; in First Grader she deals with a new class and new purple glasses. Although Junie B. is getting a little long in the tooth for her trademark cutesy baby talk and overweening boisterousness, her new challenges will resonate with her many fans. Humorous black-and-white drawings illustrate both books. [Review covers Junie B., First Grader (at Last!) and Junie B. Jones Is a Graduation Girl.]

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) 1-3 Stepping Stone series. Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. In Graduation, Junie B. drips grape juice on her cap and gown and tries to hide the stains; in First Grader she deals with a new class and new purple glasses. Although Junie B. is getting a little long in the tooth for her trademark cutesy baby talk and overweening boisterousness, her new challenges will resonate with her many fans. Humorous black-and-white drawings illustrate both books. [Review covers Junie B., First Grader (at Last!) and Junie B. Jones Is a Graduation Girl.]

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) 4-6 Jake's grandfather has Alzheimer's disease, and Jake, who once idolized him, now feels nothing but shame as he dismisses publicly, and resents privately, this helpless old man. Though Jake's guilt is more powerfully depicted than his eventual reconciliation, the novel allows readers to see the uncompromising world of Alzheimer's disease through the eyes of a likable and very human narrator.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2000