Junie B. Jones Books in Order: The Complete Reading Guide
Updated September 2026
Junie B. Jones Books in Order: The Short Answer
There are 28 Junie B. Jones chapter books by Barbara Park, illustrated by Denise Brunkus and published by Random House between 1992 and 2012. Books 1–17 follow Junie B. through kindergarten and Books 18–28 through first grade. Here are the Junie B. Jones books in order, by their official series numbers:
Kindergarten (Books 1–17)
- Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus (1992)
- Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business (1993) Buy a used copy
- 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)
First Grade (Books 18–28)
- Junie B., First Grader (at last!) (2001)
- Boss of Lunch (2002)
- Toothless Wonder (2002)
- Cheater Pants (2003)
- One-Man Band (2003)
- Shipwrecked (2004)
- BOO...and I MEAN It! (2004)
- Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! (P.S. So Does May.) (2005)
- Aloha-ha-ha! (2006)
- Dumb Bunny (2007)
- Turkeys We Have Loved and Eaten (and Other Thankful Stuff) (2012)
The first-grade books are all titled Junie B., First Grader: … on the cover. Barbara Park died in 2013, so the series is complete at 28.
In this guide:
- Numbered Order vs. Publication Order
- Who's Who in Room Nine and Room One
- Best Ages for Junie B., from Read-Aloud to Solo Reading
- A Note on Junie B.'s Grammar (and Mouth)
- Extras, Graphic Novels and the Stage Musical
- What to Read After Junie B.
- Collecting the Junie B. Jones Set Used
- Frequently Asked Questions
Numbered Order vs. Publication Order
If you compare lists online, you'll notice Books 9 through 12 sometimes appear shuffled. That's because a few came out in a slightly different order than their spine numbers: Is a Party Animal (#10) was released around the same time as Is Not a Crook (#9), and Smells Something Fishy (#12) around the same time as Is a Beauty Shop Guy (#11).
It makes no difference to the reading. Go by the numbers printed on the spine, which is how Random House numbers the series and how most used copies are labeled. The one order that genuinely matters is kindergarten before first grade, because Book 18 opens with Junie B. starting a new class, a new teacher, and a new best friend situation.
The last book, Turkeys We Have Loved and Eaten, came out five years after Dumb Bunny, so some older lists stop at 27. There are 28.
Who's Who in Room Nine and Room One
A quick cast list helps if you're reading these aloud and your child asks "wait, who's that?"
Kindergarten
- Mrs. — Junie B.'s kindergarten teacher, called only "Mrs." because Junie B. says she has another name but she just likes Mrs. better
- Lucille and Grace — her best friends, who sometimes aren't
- That Meanie Jim — her classroom nemesis
- Handsome Warren — the new boy both Junie B. and her friends have designs on
- Philip Johnny Bob — her stuffed elephant, who talks (to her)
- Ollie — the baby brother who arrives early in the series
- Grampa Frank Miller — her grandpa and co-conspirator
First grade
- Mr. Scary — her first-grade teacher, who is much nicer than his name
- Herb, Lennie and José — her new friends
- May — the tattletale who sits next to her
In the first-grade books Junie B. also gets glasses, which becomes a small, sweet storyline for kids who are nervous about their own.
Best Ages for Junie B., from Read-Aloud to Solo Reading
Junie B. is five going on six in the kindergarten books, and the readers who love her most are usually a year or two older than she is. As a rough guide:
- Ages 5–6: a read-aloud. The books are about 70 pages, which makes a good two- or three-night bedtime read. Book 1, about the first day of kindergarten, pairs well with our kindergarten transition books for 5-year-olds.
- Ages 6–8: the sweet spot for reading independently. Short chapters, big type, and a drawing every few pages. They're one of the classic "first real chapter book" series, and a staple of our chapter books for second graders list.
- Ages 8–9: still enjoyed, often as a comfort read, though many kids move on to longer series by now.
They are genuinely funny for grown-ups, too, which is not true of every early chapter book. Junie B.'s logic is completely consistent from inside a five-year-old's head, and parents who read these aloud tend to laugh as much as the kids.
A Note on Junie B.'s Grammar (and Mouth)
This is the one thing parents ask us about. Junie B. narrates in her own voice, and her voice includes "bestest," "runned," "I am not even kidding," and a lot of calling things "stupid" and "dumb." She sasses adults, pouts, and occasionally gets in real trouble. The series landed at #71 on the American Library Association's list of the most challenged books of 2000–2009, with complaints centered on her "mouthiness" and poor grammar.
Our honest take, having handed these to a lot of families: kids know Junie B. is getting it wrong. That's the joke. She's the kid who says what everyone else is thinking, and most of the books end with her learning something small and true about honesty, friendship, or being brave. A few ways homeschool families handle the grammar:
- Make it a game. Have your child "correct" one of Junie B.'s sentences per chapter. It's a painless grammar lesson.
- Read it aloud first. Hearing an adult read "runned" in Junie B.'s voice makes it clear it's her way of talking, not the right way.
- Talk about the choices. When Junie B. fibs or throws a fit, ask what she could have done instead. The books set that conversation up nicely.
If the language is a dealbreaker for your family, that's fair. The Mercy Watson books or Ivy and Bean offer a similar level with tidier grammar, and our guide to the best books for early readers has plenty more at this stage.
Extras, Graphic Novels and the Stage Musical
Beyond the 28 stories, Random House published three activity books that aren't part of the numbered series:
- Top-Secret Personal Beeswax: A Journal by Junie B. (and me!) — a fill-in journal
- Junie B.'s Essential Survival Guide to School
- Junie B.'s These Puzzles Hurt My Brain! Book
Graphic novel: A comic adaptation arrived in April 2025 with Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus, adapted by Colleen AF Venable and illustrated by Honie Beam. It retells the original book rather than adding a new story, and it makes a good bridge for a child who isn't ready for a page of plain text.
On stage and screen: Junie B. Jones the Musical, by Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich, has been a staple of children's theater for years. Nickelodeon announced a screen adaptation in 2022, but nothing further has been announced since. There is no Junie B. Jones movie; Barbara Park said she was happy for Junie B. to live in readers' imaginations rather than on film.
What to Read After Junie B.
When your child finishes Book 28, the natural next steps are:
- Magic Tree House — the same length and reading level, with history and adventure instead of classroom comedy. See our Magic Tree House reading order.
- Ramona Quimby by Beverly Cleary — the classic spirited-girl series, and a step up in length. Our Beverly Cleary books in order guide lists the Ramona books in sequence.
- Clementine by Sara Pennypacker — a third grader with plenty of Junie B.'s energy.
- Judy Moody by Megan McDonald — slightly older, same spirit.
Collecting the Junie B. Jones Set Used
Junie B. Jones paperbacks are small, sturdy and printed by the millions, which makes them one of the easiest series to build used. See which Junie B. books are in stock, or browse our picture books and early readers and kids' books. Shipping is free on orders over $15, which covers a good handful of these.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Junie B. Jones books are there?
There are 28 numbered chapter books: 17 set in kindergarten and 11 in first grade. There are also three activity books and, since 2025, a graphic novel adaptation.
What is the last Junie B. Jones book?
Turkeys We Have Loved and Eaten (and Other Thankful Stuff), Book 28, published in 2012. Barbara Park died in 2013, so no further books were written.
Do Junie B. Jones books need to be read in order?
Loosely. Each book is a self-contained story, but reading the kindergarten books (1–17) before the first-grade books (18–28) makes the most sense.
What reading level is Junie B. Jones?
They're early chapter books of about 70 pages. Most children read them independently around ages 6 to 8, and they work well as read-alouds for 5-year-olds.
Why do some parents not like Junie B. Jones?
Junie B. narrates with deliberately bad grammar and a sassy attitude. Many families use that as a teaching moment, but some prefer to skip the series.
Are there Junie B. Jones graphic novels?
Yes. Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus came out as a graphic novel in April 2025, adapted from the original first book.
