(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) K-3 Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. Following too much preamble, a plot finally kicks in: tired of being in trouble, a chronically messy kid decides to become "Neat Joe"--with untidy results (he gives the dog a shower, sets the table strangely, etc.). This one-note joke has heart (Joe's parents appreciate his good intentions), and the messy, caricaturish illustrations suit the story.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. Pet guinea pig Charlie abandons his owners and heads to Hollywood, where he lands a big part in a movie. Ultimately, he feels like a pig out of water and returns home. There's abundant humor in the illustrations of humans unblinkingly accepting a talking, auditioning guinea pig, whose slick speech ("No problema") has, perhaps inevitably, a scripted feel.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(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

(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 Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. Olivia Sharp, cousin to Nate the Great, advertises her skills as an "agent for secrets" and takes on her first case. She has unbelievable amounts of money, freedom, and moxie, and the first-person narration sounds like a cross between Eloise and Junie B. Jones. The story is slight, but Nate the Great readers will find this an approachable next step toward reading independence.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. Grade schooler Oliver thinks his teacher would make a great president. His examples ("She's always signing important papers") are shown on double-page spreads that contrast classroom experiences (the teacher signs a bathroom pass) with presidential events (she's shown signing a bill into law). The one-joke text and illustrations are mildly entertaining, though adults may be more amused than children.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(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

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Denise Brunkus. When Mr. Bundy, the school principal of P.S. 88, is accidentally turned into a talking frog, he fills in as substitute principal for himself, with amusing consequences, until a blow on the head restores his human form. Lively illustrations enhance the humor in this story based on the folktale "The Frog Prince."

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(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