Junie B. Jones's First Boxed Set Ever! (Books 1-4)
by Barbara Park
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (29 May, 2001)
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Editorial Review

Outrageously sassy Junie B. Jones will make young kids crave their dailydose of reading. And with this handy four-volume boxed set, whether they startwith Junie B. Jones and SomeSneaky Peeky Spying or Junie B. Jones and Her Big FatMouth, readers will laugh out loud at Junie B.'s hilarious mishaps andbreathtakingly horrible grammar. Although the books should come with acaveat--Kids, don't try this syntax at home!--alert parents and teachers can useher malapropisms as learning opportunities for their impressionable charges. Theset contains the first four titles in Barbara Park's extensive series(energetically illustrated by Denise Brunkus), including Junie B. Jones and a Little MonkeyBusiness and Junie B.Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus. All are great for reading aloud. (Ages5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (72)

Junie B. Jones and Ramona Quimby
These books are funny and above all interesting to the age group they are intended for.And it is not painful for the parent to read these books to their children like it is for so many chapter books in this age group.

I personally enjoy these books as they remind me of the Ramona series of books by Beverly Cleary.Ramona often did things that were not necessarily nice.In fact, many of Cleary's characters didn't always behave in the best way possible.Ramona was often mischievous and somewhat of a pest in the books and encountered the same sort of problems that children her age have to deal with.Much like Junie B.Both are written very well from the perspective of a child at that age, regardless of the age of the writer.

As for the arguments against the books, my first grade daughter has roughly a third grade reading level.She knows proper grammar and English and knows when Junie is saying something incorrectly.However, the fact of the matter is that first graders are often just learning grammar.Grammar rules are difficult at that age.If almost every word you encounter you ad an -ed to create the past tense, first grade logic dictates that the past tense version of "run" would be "runned".

On the name calling and attitude issue, my daughter also doesn't use those words.Once again, she is able to tell the difference between right and wrong.Books often present right and wrong.I agree with the reviewer that perhaps they wouldn't be appropriate for a toddler, but a first grader just entering chapter books generally is very able to understand what is acceptable and what is not acceptable.My daughter knows that just because other children hit, it does not make it okay for her to hit.By the logic presented by some of the reviewers, the average child should run right out and start calling everyone stupid because they will all of a sudden decide it's not wrong anymore.

These books are written as entertainment.They are written to appeal to your child's sense of humour and occasionally the parent reading the book to their child.Junie B. Jones is not meant to be a "Book of Virtues".It is meant to be reading material for your child who is just discovering the joy of reading and what she can experience through books.If every book a child had to read was supposed to teach some sort of moral lesson as opposed to simply being enjoyable it would make reading a very boring place.

Give Junie B. a Break
Sometimes, my eight-year-old's dance teacher will repeat the mistakes that my daughter and the rest of her classmates make.When she does this, the girls all giggle.She looks so silly when she dances like that!

When my eight year old reads a Junie B. Jones book, much of her laughter comes from knowing that Junie B. does not know how to speak proper English.She sounds so silly when she talks like that!

I would not read this series to a 3-year-old who is just learning to form sentences.(Duh.)But it's time to take a chill pill about J.B.'s improper grammar and hijinks.My children (6 and 8 years old) read these books, and they are at the tops of their classes in reading.They understand grammar rules, and are excellent spellers.Doesn't it seem even slightly unrealistic that one book series will corrupt a child's speech and manners, when that child is also exposed to other good literature?
Reading is supposed to be fun.Exposing children to many different kinds of characters in literature will only benefit them.
These books are innocent.Junie B is not overly sexualized, like some of the TV characters aimed at our young children.She doesn't worship the devil.And she does visit the principal's office regularly for her bad behavior (contrary to the statement that Junie never faces consequences for bad behavior.)
If you are really concerned about your child adopting Junie B's behavior, read a book aloud with your child.When Junie does something wrong, point your thumbs down.When she does something right, point your thumbs upward.Guess what!You will be surprised at how often you can give a thumbs up to Junie... when you are looking for something good instead of something to complain about.

Uses words like "hate" and "stupid" endlessly...
My child was introduced to this series at school.I went out and bought the whole series because of my child's enthusiasm for the books.I have read three books to my children and now will unfortunately be auctioning off the series on Ebay.Although I am sure I will lose money on the deal, it will be worth it.The book teaches and shows approval for a bad attitude and children spouting off the words, "hate" and "stupid" ENDLESSLY.I know my child doesn't talk like this and it is nothing that I want to let him think is a cute and normal behavior for a child, as this series does. (And apparantly plenty of reviewers!)
The author is wonderful and has a terrific imagination.I laughed a lot while reading the books.My child is in first grade.Perhaps it would be fun light reading for a fifth or sixth grader.However, I feel I would be failing my child by reading more into the series.If I were to do this, I would be showing approval for behavior that is rude, selfish, and nauseating.I know children's books are usually based on mistakes children make and a good way to teach lessons.However, so far there has not been any mention of her bad attitude and a way to approve it.She seems to be rewarded for her behavior and not punished.
As far as the review that stated that this was a great series unless you were planning on raising a little nun or pope, I completely disagree.I am trying to raise a child who is respectful to other children and also to adults.I am trying to raise a child who isn't crass, selfish and obnoxious.We are responsible for what we expose our children to.My child is mature enough to know right from wrong, but if the wrong is glorified too often, the line between right and wrong gets pretty blurry.The main character in a children's series becomes a role model for children.I want a role model with a positive attitude.
In regards to the reviewer's comment that by disapproving of this series a parent is blaming others for their child's behavior, I couldn't disagree more!It is the people who don't participate in what their child does that blame others, not an involved parent.
I am going to be trying the Nate the Great Series and The Magic TreeHouse Series Next. ... Read more

Isbn: 0375813616
Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    3. Children: Kindergarten    4. Humorous Stories    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Readers - Beginner   

Junie B. Jones's Second Boxed Set Ever!: Books 5-8
by Barbara Park
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 May, 2002)
list price: $15.96 -- our price: $10.85
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Features

• Box set

Reviews (12)

Hilarious!
My 5-year old son got his first Junie B. books for Christmas from my mom and my aunt (both elementary school teachers).My husband and I enjoy these books as much as my discriminating preschooler.I love these books, in spite of the grammar.They are entertaining, they are hilarious, and they prompt good conversations on feelings and dealing with negative emotions.If you don't like the grammar, simply correct it as you read; if your child reads on his own, he probably already knows it's grammatically incorrect.

A great jump start to spark interest in reading
My 6 year old daughter loved reading all three boxed sets! She thought the stories were funny and laughed out loud several times while reading the books!! There were grammatical errors in the book; however, I believe it is the parent's responsibility to teach correct pronounciation and grammar. I did not have any intentions of having a fictional children's story book teach grammar to my child.The stories were age related and provided a lot of entertainment!

Junie B.
I have all four of these books and have read them about five times.

Yucky Blucky Fruitcake: Junie B's the bestest winner in the world! It's Carnival Night, and Lucille has already won a box of fluffy cupcakes with sprinkles on them. But when Junie B. wins the Cake Walk, she chooses the bestest cake of all - the one wrapped in sparkly alluminum foil. (The cake she picked was a fruitcake!)
That Meanie Jim's Birthday: Guess who's not invited? That meanie Jim has invited everyone in Room Nine to his birthday party on Saturday - except Junie B.! Should she have her own birthday party six months early and not invite Jim? Or should she move to It's a Small World After All in Disneyland?
Loves Handsome Warren: There's a new boy in kindergarten, and guess what? He's the handsomest guy Junie B. has ever seen! She and Lucille and that Grace all want him for a boyfriend. Only he thinks Junie B. is a nutball. Just cause she couldn't stop laughing and rolling. So how is she supposed to get that boy to love her?
Has a Monster Under Her Bed: There's no such things as monsters. Mother and Daddy even said so. But then why is there monster drool on Junie B's pillow? Oh, no! What if Paulie Allen Puffer is right - what if she really does have a monster under her bed? If Junie B goes to sleep, the monster might see her feet hanging down. And he might think her piggy toes are yummy little wiener sausages!

You get all four books with this set. ... Read more

Isbn: 0375822658
Sales Rank: 2089
Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Juvenile Fiction    4. Social Situations - General   

Junie B. Jones's Third Boxed Set Ever! (Books 9-12)
by Barbara Park
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (27 May, 2003)
list price: $15.96 -- our price: $10.85
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Features

• Box set

Reviews (1)

A funny book
This book is as funny as any of the other Junie B Jones stories. So if you are a fan of Junie B Jones, you MUST read this book. This book is perfect for kids ages 6-8. The book is very enjoyable- a story you will surely enjoy again and again! ... Read more

Isbn: 0375825525
Sales Rank: 9778
Subjects:  1. Children's All Ages - Fiction - General    2. Children: Grades 3-4    3. Humorous Stories    4. Juvenile Fiction    5. Law & Crime    6. Park, Barbara    7. School & Education   

My Monster Mama Loves Me So
by Laura Leuck, Mark Buehner
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 September, 2002)
list price: $5.99 -- our price: $5.99
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Reviews (23)

really cute
My family just loves this book. The words and story are really cute and the pictures are fabulous. There are hidden pictures on every page and lots to look at for reading and re-reading.I got this when my 2 year-old son was going through a "scared of monsters" stage.It helped him to see that the monster in the book does the same things we do, like eat breakfast and go to the swimming pool "swamp". He even has a pet(spider) to take care of! It is a very non-scary monster book.I highly recommended it if you have a child that is afraid of monsters.Parents will get a kick out of the story also. Great, great, great!

absolute pleasure to read
My 4 yr. old daughter loved this book from the first time we read it.She loves to hear how the Monster Mama takes care of her little monster.The story is a loving and gentle poitrait of a mothers love.Embedded in the story are the routines of everyday life (i.e. brush your fangs, eat health food, exercise, tuck me into bed).The illustrations provide lots of opportunity for talking about the story and the characters.My daughter loves the swamp scene and has made a story all her own about that scene.She loves to say, "Icky" when we talk about lizard juice with ice and cookies made with bugs.The last pages lets us end with a big monster moma hug.The I get to tweek her nose and her tickle her pointy toes.

Who would have thoight monsters have mamas
I love this book.Once again another cute story from the author and illustrator.I read this to my 10 month old son who likes the pictures.(He also loves "Snowmen at Night".) I do not know what else to say but it belongs in our personal library!!Well Done. ... Read more

Isbn: 0060088605
Sales Rank: 218961
Subjects:  1. Bedtime & Dreams    2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    3. Children: Kindergarten    4. Fiction    5. Holidays & Festivals - Halloween    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Monsters    8. Mother and child    9. Stories in rhyme    10. Juvenile Fiction / General   

A Margaret Wise Brown Gift Set: The Runaway Bunny & Goodnight Moon
by Margaret Wise Brown, Clement Hurd
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (04 September, 2001)
list price: $31.95
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Reviews (2)

I highly recommend "Runaway Bunny"
I think "Runaway Bunny" is a wonderful book. My son got it when he was 2 years old, and he still loves it at 5. It is one of about 50 books by Margaret Wise Brown that we have collected, and it is a favorite with our family. It is a heart-warming tale for both mother and child.

Love Good night Moon
My 15 month old loves Good Night moon and brings it to me to read over and over(He really loves the illustrations and repeatedly points at the red balloon).He doesn't like the runaway bunny -- he won't sit still to listen to the story.I recommend Good Night Moon highly but not the runnaway bunny. ... Read more

Isbn: 0066238463
Sales Rank: 590043
Subjects:  1. Children's Baby/Preschool    2. Children: Babies & Toddlers    3. Classics    4. Juvenile Fiction   

Boynton's Greatest Hits: Mo, Baa, LA LA La!/A to Z/Doggies/Bluehat, Green Hat (Boynton, Sandra. Boynton Board Books.)
by Sandra Boynton, Dandra Boynton
Average Customer Review:
Board book (01 October, 1998)
list price: $21.95 -- our price: $14.93
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Editorial Review

Artist Sandra Boynton has been charming adults for decades with her whimsical, animal-centric greeting cards and her droll sense of humor. When Boynton transferred her weirdly wonderful critters to board books for babies, she made publishing history. These short, hilarious books are perfectly suited to toddler tastes, with their small size, few words, cheerful colors, funny jokes, and silly animals. Blue Hat, Green Hat is all about getting dressed, and stars a very silly turkey who just doesn't get it. (Feet in the hat, pants on the head, etc.) His continuing refrain is "Oops." Moo, Baa, LA LA LA! investigates the sounds animals make, including pigs who sing. Doggies is "a counting and barking book" about the many sounds dogs can make, and A to Z frolics through the alphabet with amusing animal antics from an aardvark admiring to a zebra zigzagging. Parents love Boynton as much as kids do, and these four books in a compact boxed set will no doubt become household favorites! (Baby to age 3) --Marcie Bovetz ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A Disappointment
I was disappointed with volume 1.My daughter has The Going To Bed Book and Hippos Go Beserk! which the whole family loves.The books in volume 1 are boring and aren't as fun as many of Sandra Boynton's other books.

Wonderful books, but Greatest Hits 2 is better
We love the Sandra Boynton books. This four-book set is a great starter set. Our son, one year old, likes these books more and more as he gets older. They are fun for us to read to him, and he enjoys the pictures. The drawings are very clear (not like some of the books that we have where the illustration is more like watercolor) and that makes it easy for him to tell what he's looking at. I feel like that makes these books better for learning the names of the animals, colors, etc.

All those positive things said, I personally like the titles in the Greatest Hits 2 box set better. Those four tell better stories. These four are not as narrative, with the possible exception of "Moo, Baa, La La La." "A to Z" is an alphabet book with animals, which is not narrative at all. "Doggies" is really fun because it lets you make barking noises, and our son loves the book, but again, it's not really a story. "Blue Hat, Green Hat" depicts a cute story (a turkey who doesn't know how to put clothes on properly -- wears his shoe on his head, for instance), but it has few words, so it lacks the terrific sing-songy rhythm that I love in Boynton's other books.

These are good books, but if you want to experience the best of Boynton, consider Greatest Hits 2 instead of (or in addition to!) this one.

Wonder collection of books by Boynton
We gave these to our daughter for her 1st birthday and she loved them.Three months later we are still reading them to her over and over.They are excellent books! ... Read more

Isbn: 0689823223
Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Alphabet    3. Animal sounds    4. Animals    5. Animals - General    6. Children's Baby - Boardbooks    7. Children: Babies & Toddlers    8. Concepts - General    9. Fiction    10. Humorous Stories    11. Juvenile Fiction