I can see why people did not like Junie B. Jones novels after reading Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus: The Graphic Novel, and not just because of the words “stupid” and “smelly” are used by Junie B. I will say her attitude could be likened to Eloise or DW Read from the Arthur tv series. So if you like Eloise or DW like characters, you will love Junie B. Jones.
The author Colleen A. F. Venable adapted Barbara Parks’ beloved Junie B. into a graphic novel format. Then Honie Beam came along and added a more modern look with illustrations.. Gone is the thin, somewhat ratty haired girl of the novel covers and a more round, pleasing looking girl comes forth. The physical reader copy I had was in black and white, but the preview images showed color not only in her personality but also her clothing. It is exactly what you expect from someone named Junie B.
Also, you can expect the action that happens from a girl named Junie B. She does not want to ride the bus (fair) but when she has to ride it at the end of the day, after being slightly bullied by a few kids in the morning and is told by a friend the other kids will pour chocolate milk on her head, she really doesn’t want to ride it. Then she hides in her classroom, and later that night is finally found only because she had to go to the bathroom and calls 911 because it is an emergency.
In the end, things would have been great if I felt Junie B. had learned her lesson from the stunt she pulled. But she is clueless about why what she did is wrong. If anything, she is rewarded for her behavior. I know she is a fictional character, but if we can fall for a fictional character to make them our fictional boyfriend/girlfriend/partner, we can say that we (me) will not be friends with this fictional character.
Due end of April/early May 2025.