Junie B. Jones is a MENACE! (it’s iconic)

[@goddcss]

junie b jones’s existence in the books was such a public disturbance and i aspired to be her

[@phantomology13]

as someone who was super cautious as a kid I’m pretty sure I lived vicariously through her 😭

[@dionysus_adores]

I had some too, I think it was the end of first grade one.

[@korilloyd6004]

I’ve been playing these in the car for my toddler and I’ve had to pull over because I’m laughing so hard. She’s iconic

[@Nuhuh69_96]

@dionysus_adores off topic but I'm pansexual too :)

[@earthfa333]

now that you mention it... my track record at school when I was like 5 matches up perfectly 😭😭😭💀

[@aquaruisangel]

As a people pleaser child, i LOVED reading these books cause she was the rebel I wanted to be. She was a childhood hero (to me) even if she was “annoying” because I think children ARE the only ones who can be annoying and still be cute and loved 😂❤

[@idunnobutyay2520]

And deep down, Junie B does want to be good

[@heyummrandommuch]

​@@idunnobutyay2520exactly! She's not malicious, she's just a rambunctious little girl who makes ill-informed decisions! She's just a baby lol

[@weirdieoid]

when I was 8, I saw a Junie B Jones bumper sticker in the school library that said "Honk if you like Junie B Jones" and as a confused autistic 8 year old, I unleashed a loud goose honk noise in the middle of the quiet library and then pretended like nothing happened 😂😂😂

[@randomusername429]

Junie B. is so neurodivergent-coded fr. I'm autistic and have adhd and I felt like I understood her as a kid in a way that the various characters didn't.

[@feliciteacup]

i think that's something junie b jones herself would do

[@EurydiceAllAlong]

How Junie B's parents had a second child after her is an enigma. Like after her constant shenanigans I would have booked a vasectomy stat. You know they were regulars at the wine and beer store.

[@Elodie-xi3pp]

Dang

[@Addy-q3q]

Underrated comment

[@josheydubs]

Maybe the new baby will be easier

[@jemimajanvier4706]

This killed me❤😂

[@yikesgina]

Lmao second children are almost never like the first one.

[@kaidanrogers6518]

Her mother wouldn't let her take a dead fish to school, so she took a different dead fish to school. 💯

[@abbysharp1659]

my favorite junie b jones bit that i still think of constantly is where the janitor speeds up to her to stop her from eating a lifesaver from the ground and she tells him its ok because she blowed the germs off

[@coyotix]

i think about that every time i drop food on the ground

[@justella4982]

the parents' arguements against the book is the same logic as "if you listen to true crime podcast you must think murder is okay" 😭 bro people are allowed to engage in things they don't identify/agree with,, being entertained by character flaws doesn't mean you blindly think they're correct

[@numb3r_1sayakafan]

yeah, as long as you portray it in a negative light it’s totally okay😭

[@give_em_the_Ol_Razzle_Dazzle]

It also doesn’t make sense because if the main character is supposed to be a small child, then of course she reads and writes and talks like a small child. It makes her character more believable that she acts like a kid.

[@Dani_marie_]

Exactly! I remember being in second grade and getting major second hand embarrassment from this book.

[@gemstone108]

I used to read these books and KNEW she was spelling wrong. I knew that was just her character though and was so proud of her when she got better at spelling and grammar in the first grader books 😂

[@oliviabrownvlogs204]

@@give_em_the_Ol_Razzle_Dazzlethis.

[@camdecay]

when two bad bitches come together to maximize eachothers joint slay

[@kirbysthirdeye]

it’s so wild to me to hear that junie b was so controversial cause she always made me feel less alone as a quirky child! i was always the weird girl who wore crazy tights under my shorts and Junie made me feel like it was okay to be weird

[@Suspiria-Baybee]

The fact we STILL haven’t gotten a proper JUNIE B. JONES movie is something I’m astounded by. So much material to adapt into either a 90 minute film or a miniseries.

[@sonofaspyder3000]

THATS WHAT IM SAYING

[@emmahess1559]

There is a stage musical.

[@talkingfez1265]

IKR?!

[@devonmmi]

there was a stage adaptation!! i got to go to it as a kid it was amazing

[@vvirtualecho6938]

10:51 for these parents junie b jones could actually be used as a workbook of sorts. Telling them that when they see a spelling/grammar error to correct it. Giving them a fun story as well so they pay more attention to the writing.

[@yikesgina]

I work with really young kids who are learning how to speak correctly- I almost never correct them - just repeat what they said the correct way. They don’t understand rules of grammar yet, they’ll get there.

[@dennysdonuts4918]

As an undiagnosed ADHD perfectionist girly, loved these books

[@kaylapearl7894]

Same

[@kendrarasberry3078]

Autistic (undiagnosed at the time I first read Junie B. Jones) girl here!

[@LAPPITLAZULI]

By undiagnosed you mean self diagnosed??

[@TheTheninjagummybear]

​@@LAPPITLAZULIWhat difference does it make?

[@LAPPITLAZULI]

@@TheTheninjagummybear it doesnt, just if they were to tell people they don’t have to say undiagnosed (unless they are like diagnosed off tiktok lol i doubt they are tho)

[@yuki_1002]

I still quote the one book where she says that bald people are bald because their heads are pecked into nubs by chickens. I think it was in the farm one.

[@SocksWithSandalsEnjoyer]

LMAOOO MY DAD IS BALD 😭😭😭

[@sonofaspyder3000]

“Good morning. Roosters peck your head into a nub.” 😭😭😭😭

[@moogyismyname]

Fun fact: My elementary school art teacher was best friends with the author, Barbra Park. The class even got to meet her once and while I don’t completely remember the whole visit I do remember her being a very sweet and lovely woman. May she Rest In Peace. This was back when I lived in Arizona in about the mid/late 2000’s.

[@squid3946]

As an undiagnosed autistic girl these books were so helpful for me! Junie and I both mistook jokes for serious statements, applied rules in a very black and white way, and were too blunt with other kids. It was nice to see adults explicitly explaining social norms and expectations to Junie.

[@marysnyder9405]

I think what a lot of parents weren't understanding, was the Junie was inspiring a love of reading. We had our entire lives to learn phonics and grammar. The series was in peak popularity when I was the target demographic, and Junie was what started my love of independent reading. Later I would get into Ramona Quimby and Nancy Drew, but first there was Junie. Kids need easy, fun in-roads to grow a love of literature!

[@lulaloopsey]

100% agree!!

[@MoodyMickey]

Honestly, I hated reading as a kid, but I still loved reading Junie B. Jones

[@randomusername429]

Same here! I really struggled to read as a kid so I tended to reject books, but I became obsessed with Junie B. Jones and Ramona and would actually try to sit and read them. I think Junie B. was also easier for me to read than other books because of the unique writing style, and it held my attention better.

[@therearenocowshere]

I know I read several of these and exactly ONE MEMORY has stuck with me until my current age of 27. And it stuck with me hard. In the Easter one, she reaches into a bag of jelly beans and thinks she can feel which one is purple. For years and years I thought for sure I also had this power and secretly I still kind of do.

[@Jogjosmowwdkfs]

One of mine is the Hawaii one where we discover that apparently instead of just thinking about him speaking, we hear Philip Johnny Bob call out from the suitcase about it being dark, and Junie B’s dad informs the TSA that she does ventriloquism.

[@vvs9992003]

I have two very strong junie b book memories-when she catches her teacher eating a grape at the supermarket, and also when she thinks a cakewalk means walking on cakes and she chooses a fruitcake as a prize not knowing what a fruitcake is

[@vvs9992003]

Aw I wrote this in the beginning of your video and now see you mention the grape incident 😂

[@vvs9992003]

The Mrs eating a grape illustration is so strongly ingrained in my head like 25 years later

[@princelandrycrusher]

I bet if Junie B. Jones was a boy there wouldn't be any controversy. o: Also if we didn't have Junie B. we wouldn't have Angela Anaconda.

[@karinasanchez2233]

Junie B. Jones is a saint in comparison to Caillou

[@baffledbrandon3132]

How is that a good thing? That series sucked.

[@AntSugar]

​@@karinasanchez2233 or "no, David!" Lol

[@Double-R-Nothing]

That's...not a positive.

[@kaitlynreynolds5192]

​@karinasanchez2233 she's not really a brat, just a very... creative 5 year old. Calliou is a really nasty kid, even for his age, with enabler parents. At least Junie B.'s parents tell her what she should and shouldn't do and there are consequences if she does something wrong.

[@lorelig]

"I hate your grand boy" is iconic. Sneaky Peeky Spying was one of my favorites as a kid!

[@mynameisreallycool1]

This book series basically aligned with my sense of humor as a kid. Junie B. First Grader: Boss of Lunch was the first chapter book I ever fully read, and I read a lot of other books from the series during second grade. My mom got one of those books (the Stinky Bus one) for my sister recently, and I was flipping through it, since it had been a long time since I read any of the books, and I still thought it was hilarious, even now at 25 years old, like it's even better and funnier than I remembered. Junie is a very fun character and actually feels like a real kindergartner/first grader. Also, Michael Reinemer is spot on. Stories need to be interesting to get kids interested in reading, and that's really the biggest thing that matters. This book series is what got me into reading chapter books as a kid, and other books that had funny, relatable, and imperfect protagonists are what got me reading even more, like Judy Moody, Captain Underpants, Dork Diaries, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, My Dear Dumb Diary, Ramona and Beezus, etc. Just because a children's book isn't educational or doesn't have a perfect role model doesn't mean they have no value or don't help kids academically, nor does it mean that kids can't learn valuable life lessons from the book. We need silly books like this so kids are motivated and encouraged to read. People forget that children's content needs to be interesting and fun above all else, otherwise kids won't engage. Even adults need this. It's hard to motivate kids to read when they're only reading things they don't like and think are boring.

[@starie606]

I LOVED JUNIE B JONES AS A KID IM SO HAPPY YOU MADE THIS

[@Andkshsnsjsbsh]

My favorite Junie B. Jones moment is when she hurts her toe kicking a watering can and tells the school nurse that she kicked a cow full of water. Me and my brother literally laughed over that for years 😭

[@phantomology13]

one moment I remember is her saying her baby brother was boring because he “can’t even play Chinese checkers”

[@gummybesr1114]

No bc that's genuinly my roman empire because I think about that one part where she is looking at her toe and the girl next to her is like "ew that's gross only weirdos look at their toes" and I think about that like every day

[@Liz-zp9zu]

I was absolutely a Junie B Jones kid. My mom agrees and confirms this. 😂 I was considered a "handful", always up to random antics and getting myself into predicaments. I took the gutter pipes off of the sides of the house and displayed them in the front yard in an "X" shape as art thinking my parents would be thrilled with my artistic ability. Boy, was I wrong and I understand why now- gutters are expensive! 😂 I was given an autism diagnosis at age 24. The Junie B series was a personal favorite because I found Junie B to be relatable. I'm still that Junie B kid at heart. 💗

[@zainabzolita8436]

I brought a "mouse" to school for show and tell which was a tampon I drew eyes on. That got a call home also I got sent home once because I gave myself tattoo sleeves on all my arms and legs to look like my dad. And tons of similar things and worse things 😂

[@hearmeout1767]

One time my guinea pig got stuck in the gutter (don't worry, we got her out safely) but she got MAD at us for getting her out because she wanted to stay stuck in the gutter.

[@aceinspaces]

The fact you started off with Mrs. eating the grapes in the store when that's the scene I can remember most vividly

[@randomusername429]

I remember how shocked I was as a little kid to read about the teacher eating grapes without paying for them. It's so funny looking back on it. I was disappointed as a kid that she had a legitimate reason later for eating the grapes, because I wanted her to have made the same mistake as Junie B, and it frustrated me that her "stealing" the grapes was justified because the point was supposed to be that she did something wrong and then it turns out she hadnt. I thought it was so unfair that Junie B. was in the wrong but Mrs. wasnt for the same action lol.

[@thatrantinggirl7376]

I can’t tell you how much the world needed a video about the icon the legend, miss junie b jones the b stands for the best to ever do it 🙏 Edit: Also, I can’t help but think that a lot of the backlash books like junie b jones received for being ‘bad influences’, is linked to misogyny. Especially when books like diary of a wimpy kid didn’t get the same amount of backlash. There’s this idea that little girls are naturally more mature and responsible than little boys and it’s just not true, it’s an idea that robs a lot of little girls of their childhoods and it really sucks

[@mchjsosde]

Wow that edit just changed my life 😢

[@Whyamiheredotnet]

I used to foster a little girl who reminded me a lot like Junie.B and honestly the books were really relatable to her. The fact the books were banned is just so dumb. She’s the most realistic version of a kindergarten aged girl and I agree if diary of a wimpy kid can stay in school shelves than Junie b books should have as well. It just shows that people who ban books just never READ the books they ban.

[@Lovewarriorcatz]

Ikr😢

[@Lovewarriorcatz]

Ikr😢

[@jacobsunday6561]

If you think reading Junie B. Jones was an experience, the musical was peak, I went to see it as 1st grade field trip and it was so surreal at as a kid to see a book you've read come to life in such a way.

[@getsouped]

THERE WAS A MUSICAL???

[@jacobsunday6561]

@@getsouped yup, they are still doing it to this day, mine was in the mid 2000s so they probably have new actors, plus you’re able to license the musical to perform it yourself too

[@getsouped]

@@jacobsunday6561 word thank you for telling me!!! i ended up going down a small rabbithole and found a few productions to watch, tysm for introducing me to this :D

[@Keahilovestheater]

I’m in it rk

[@ddd1234ify]

@@jacobsunday6561I wish they had the same actors lol

[@stickitydoodah]

As a socially and culturally isolated autistic kid in a sh1t living situation, JbJ was like, my shining star. I loved how confident she was in her weirdness and it felt like i had a friend when irl I didn't. It annoys me that anyone would find a young child "loathsome", but that explains a lot about how adults treated me, since i related to her. Anyway, ly jbj

[@randomusername429]

You're not alone. It sounds like a lot of us here in the comment section all have that same story

[@christophercruz5891]

I loved and still love JBJ. I knew some of the stuff she did was wrong but I knew never to do those things

[@alisoncashner28]

I read Junie B Jones A LOT as a kid. The “bad grammar” argument doesn’t make sense to me, because these are targeted for younger kids who will have YEARS of education teaching them correct grammar. I’m a writer and tend to get annoyed at people using grammar incorrectly (to an extent), but when it’s a child or a character who is supposed to speak grammatically incorrect, I find it charming that the author puts grammar aside because it makes the character more realistic. On another note, the “misbehaved” argument doesn’t make sense to me either. 1) she’s 5-6. They act up, they become defiant, they can be mean, but they’re learning. They act up because they don’t know better yet, and I remember the books showing how acting up can create consequences. She’s not praised for bad behavior, and when I was young, I knew she wasn’t doing what she should.

[@cr0wb0n3zz]

THE MEMORIES HOLY MOLY in early elementary i was given the full set & would read them to my mom on the way to gymnastics classes. i’d do all the character voices & we’d laugh so hard >.

[@CamDollar]

My teacher EXCLUSIVELY read us Junie B. We had this program at my school where you got the same teacher from K-2nd grade. So until 3rd grade I had the same teacher. She realized all us girls loved Junie B for her female rage, but boys also liked it cuz it was silly and crass enough for them to not be bothered the main protag was a girl. We would have an hour of reading every day and we would read Junie B every time. I think we made it through almost all books, as she seemed to age with us, by the end of the 3 years with the same teacher. I genuinely feel like my teachers choice helped make me into the woman I am today. I feel like the little boys in the class also benefitted from being so enthralled with a female character from a young age. I feel like being a girl and talking back to teachers and stuff was powerful for us as little girls. I felt empowered by Junie B. We all knew it wasn't okay to bully people, but Junie wasn't a bully. She was STANDING on business for herself. The spelling errors were actually a way to talk about spelling errors without having to pick on a specific kid and be able to open dialogue about not being the best at spelling and how to ask for help or figure it out. I genuinely love Junie B and I feel ike she helped make me who I am today.

[@kamryngray8978]

Honestly Ramona walked so Junie B. could run

[@idunnobutyay2520]

The holy Trinity of ADHD kid lit girlies are Ramona, Eloise, and Junie B. Jones

[@purpleorangewings]

@@idunnobutyay2520 Clementine also

[@CoopertheButter]

“I felt very shrinking inside” is honestly such a great written line of the feeling of embarrassment, especially in the perspective of a child

[@StarScar-44]

Was just thinking about this yesterday! Specifically because I remember when she tried getting some cereal, the milk was too heavy so she gave up on that and poured orange juice with her cereal instead, and when her parents found her she says "It's good! It makes me want to vomit!" Honestly, iconic. What a mood. I remember reading almost all these books when I was little. It really made me love reading, inspired me to want to write. Now here I am, an adult with a book collection, and a plethora of story ideas both original and fanfictional.

[@ladybirdg5658]

I don't think I've ever actually looked at a carton of orange juice without thinking "It's delicious. Except it doesn't actually taste good," since reading that one to be honest

[@zainabzolita8436]

I like cereal with orange juice specifically cinnamon toast crunch. You should try it

[@SocksWithSandalsEnjoyer]

I'm a very quiet, introverted person most of the time, but I loved her just cause lol! Idk why, but I was absolutely fascinated by how her hair was drawn, and I adored her outfits as well.

[@seal8092]

I loved Junie B. Jones books. They were so easy for me to read as a kid, I remember being so proud of myself for reading a whole Junie B. jones book, cause it was like a chapter book lol. I felt really seen by Junie B’s character as a kid. Being a quiet girl in school and just trying to do my best and be civil often had me end up drawing the shortest of straws as a kid. Seeing a character in a children’s book show, “bad emotions and feelings” like anger in such a relatable way really made me not feel so alone.

[@randomusername429]

Same here

[@hazedbasil]

I will never forget as a child having my leapfrog game pad and having the Junie B Jones game and they had made her older as Barbara would eventually make Junie grow up in the books in the later years

[@Jogjosmowwdkfs]

Junie B’s diary wasn’t it? I had that Leapfrog game too!

[@dingdongfootball5331]

Just the fact that I laughed out loud at MULTIPLE of the Junie B quotes in this video shows how well this series holds up. Barbara Park was such a talented writer, RIP

[@kendrarasberry3078]

My heart broke when I found out Barbara Park passed away.

[@Whyamiheredotnet]

Very upset they never made a film adaptation of Junie.b. The books were a staple of my childhood and will always have a place in my heart

[@trustedroot]

you never know, we might get one someday!

[@yikesgina]

@@trustedrootthe author passed away of cancer my senior year.

[@regionalangel]

idk if this was the intent with the book at all, but looking back on party animal, it really reminded me of growing up poor as a kid and being really confused at other peoples houses. i didnt know dishes could break because we used paper, i didn’t know certain toys couldnt be played with, and i was consistently made fun of or shunned for not knowing those things and making mistakes like junie. it wasn’t as intense as a big mansion with sparkly glasses of course, but still something i kinda forgot about until now.

[@randomusername429]

I was the kid who always managed to mess something up at someone's house no matter how careful I was. Usually their parents tried to assure me it was okay, but I still felt terrible about it. So Junie B accidentally staining everything or dropping everything no matter how hard she tried was really relatable for me. And it was nice to know I wasn't the only kid that happened to.

[@babycheybuggg]

you saying digged instead of dug while talking about how divisive this book is because of the grammar is peak comedy. i recently reread a junie b jones book i got from the library because i loved them as a kid, and i really do see where i developed a main part of my personality and humor 😭 thanks junie

[@Nakia11798]

I LOVED Junie as a kid because I related to her as an equally unhinged child, and I found myself learning the lessons well.

[@Nakia11798]

Omg, I remembered "sneaky peeking" so well.

[@morganorwhatever]

In grade 2, we had show and tell and I brought in the JBJ essential survival guide to school. I read a page where Junie B says that you can tell Mae is a tattletale because of her sneaky ears (airtight logic tbh). My teacher stopped me, and proceeded to explain to the class that Junie was being mean

[@randomusername429]

I loved that survival guide as a kid! I think I still have my copy of it. I thought it was so cool that it looked like a notebook with Junie B's handwriting and that Junie B. had crossed out misspelled words and wrote the correct spellings on top of them. I read that thing over and over again as a kid lol

[@KelpieRider]

I adored that book as a kid, seeing her personal additions and corrections lit me up

[@Mushroomb0n3s]

I would LOVE a ramona video the author is from my home town and she based most of the book on her life in portland in the 1920s. My stepmom lived on Klickitat st just like Ramona and I always had such a close connection with those books

[@kendyll8483]

Junie B. Books actually mean a lot to me and here’s why: I had really terrible test anxiety in 1st grade. Crazy, I know, but it was that kind of household. Every week we had to take an AR test on a book. I was at a 4th grade reading level, but I only stuck to very short books. I was terrified if I read a long book, I’d go to take the AR test and I would forget the book and fail it. My teacher read us a Junie B. book and I fell in love. I wanted to read it so bad, but I was terrified. My teacher encouraged me, telling me I was capable, and I read a Junie B. book, and I instantly fell in love and read every single one. This fostered my love of reading, so I will never forget these books or my first grade teacher who encouraged me when I had nobody at home to do so.

[@Starberrystains]

JUNIE B JONES WAS A DIVA IN MY SECOND GRADE EYES😭

[@averyeml]

BARBARA PARK WROTE MICK HARTE WAS HERE?!?!?!?!? I picked that book up one random day in elementary school and it absolutely crushed me! I never made that connection. That was the first time a book made me cry. It was impactful.

[@MinaWalker]

I used to quote Junie B. When I was little, and my parents thought I was being disrespectful, until they realized what was actually happening lol

[@KairaSuperSayan93]

I loved these books growing up and laughed at Junie B's antics and remember when she graduated kindergarten and moved onto first grade.

[@lauravampire1276]

I absolutely loved this series as a kid. The sleepover book- “Junie B. Jones is a party animal” is one of my fav reads of all time. I even remember using the word “bestest” bc of her loll

[@TheBluestflamingos]

The franks and beans and cereal is such an neat little detail. At first, it seems a little strange that such a posh woman would serve such a frugal dish, but if you think about the timeline, Nana would've been running her household durring the Great Depression. Of course she would be accustomed to serving such a classic Depression meal to children. It's like how my Mom always found it amusing that I like my baked beans on a raft of buttered bread. It's how my grampa ate them. Frugal Great Depression habits are well-imprinted on "The Greatest Generation"

[@karinasanchez2233]

junie b. jones is that GIRL!!! she will always be that girl, you know what the b stands for??? Beatrice. I LOVED her books so much, especially in 3rd grade my teacher had junie b. jones day I vaguely remember what we even did that day but everyone got a new junie b. jones book and I slowly started collecting them i treasured them so much

[@whatdoyousuppose]

Not even exaggerating, I have thought about Mrs trying the grapes at the grocery store EVERY TIME I encounter grapes while grocery shopping ever since I read that book. I’m 28 now and I must’ve read it when I was 6 or 7. Suffice to say it left a strong mark on my memory 😂

[@gabriellekrautsdorfer2518]

My mom used to read these books to me when I was little. I remember such random bits but the thing that sticks out in my head the most is “My name is Junie B. Jones. The B stands for Beatrice only I don’t like Beatrice, I just like B and that’s all!” Junie B. was wonderful, I can’t believe that people didn’t like her.

[@astridmyst]

If there was a pet rock fad then Junie B can have a fish stick pet! It is wild how I didn't remember any of these until they stories were starting to be described. The memories!

[@Deadalys]

When i was a kid i legitimately didn't realize junie B was supposed to be a problem child. I was just like that at that age so i just thought she was a normal kid. reading the books as an adult im kind of like "oh no i would have hated dealing with a kid like me"

[@Jollofmunchrr]

I grew up reading junie b jones. My kindergarten teacher actually introduced it to my class to entertain us and i begged my mom to buy the books to read on my own im actually really grateful she introduced me to it. I probably wouldn't have gotten my love of reading.

[@sarahreaume6659]

I remember reading the Junie B Jones books as a kid I even received some books from the series and the first grade spin off as a kid thanks for doing a video on this

[@jujubeanz1457]

i loved junie b. jones honestly bc of her grammar! i came to the US at 5 years old and spoke only Spanish, as i was learning English her mispronouncing words and her pattern of talking just brought me so much comfort especially the Mrs. thing which I totally forgot about! I had such a hard time with American last names lmao. thank you for this video!

[@vigetscreative]

I never read Junie B Jones but it's kind of hilariously amazing how she talks EXACTLY like my 5yo niece 💜

[@MnMsandOreos]

As a teacher I’m not supposed to have favourites, but I will always have a special place in my heart for the kid who dressed up as Junie B. for Halloween during my first practicum as a student teacher ❤

[@ClownCatastrophe]

15:25 i feel like also since it was the 90s/2000s there was this expectation for how girls were supposed to behave growing up (even still now honestly...) and the girls in Dear Dumb Diary or Junie B Jones were the exact opposite of how parents wanted their daughters to act. while books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid has and male main character who is a dick a lot of the time, those behaviors are typically seen as the classic "boys will be boys" thus not making it a bad influence in their eyes since to them its normal boy behavior.

[@alexjones8843]

Junie B. Jones will always hold a special place in my heart because when I was in 2nd grade I got a really bad case of pneumonia and I was sick for a whole month. At that time, I was living in a group home, so I was isolated in the infirmary and my only companions were whatever tapes the group home had and the occasional check-in from a houseparent giving me food. My 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Hawkins, came to visit, somehow was allowed into the infirmary, and with her she brought 6 Junie B. Jones books and gingerale. Those books were a GODSEND after having watched all of the tapes what felt like a hundred times, and I just fell absolutely in love with those books. I wish I still had them, but anyone who has ever lived in a group home before can attest to the fact that possessions don't stay in your hands for very long :\

[@ramenbowl7708]

This actually reminds me of a book series I used to read back when I was in elementary school. Has anyone ever heard of Clementine? I think they lasted for a while. But by the time the latest book came out, I was WAY out of the demographic, so I only had the first three books. Please, tell me I’m not the only one who remembers this series. 😫✋🏾

[@xhypiseepyx]

YESS OMFG I FORGOT ABOUT CLEMENTINE

[@hearmeout1767]

YESS I READ CLEMENTINE lol I remember I read a book where she became vegan because she didn't want animals to suffer, or something, and another time the bus smelled really bad and the reason was revealed at the end

[@thatdarkskinsamantha1437]

I wonder if Mrs. In the first book was freaking out about Junie B. Exposing her kissing the “strange man” bc she’s having an affair or something 😭

[@pokelover66544]

i read so many of these as a kid and had these read to me my mom says i thought it was hilarious that junie b's discription of a crib was it has bars so the baby cant pull you in and kill you

[@BabyBinx2021]

I loved her sooo much! I felt she was so autistic coded! Also you look gorgeous in this video!

[@SilphRose]

Oh my god I never thought I would see a youtuber I like talk about this series! This series became my own form of rebellion. I struggled in elementary school and unfortunately went to a small school in a rural area with teachers that just really didn't care. One day I found a book I wanted to read and a teacher told me not to, it was "above my reading level". She recommended I read Junie B. Jones instead. I did and proceded to read the entire series because I enjoyed it. My teacher actually started getting irritated that I was still reading them and now "challenging myself" excuse me? You told me to read them! I pretty much maliciously read only these books for the rest of that entire year. Loved them. I'm sad the books got so much criticism. I hope the author rests in peace knowing her books were loved.

[@hannahleigh6152]

She was mad you were challenging yourself? That's what you're supposed to do.

[@hastaluegoluka]

when i was in kindergarten, my teacher would read us junie b at the end of each school day! the one i remember the most is junie b jones and too much monkey business lol, i think that’s the one where her brother comes along

[@globblin1734]

These books totally got me into reading when I was small. The comedy’s just so good

[@dinodining13]

I remember loving Junie B so much because of how much I related to her as a kid- like her thought processes on things were exactly like mine 😭 I always liked when books were in the kids perspective because they felt more real and fun. I'm surprised people got so upset over the books tho 🥲

[@hearmeout1767]

I was bummed because my mother crossed out the words stupid, dumb, and hate, and wouldn't let me get the rest of the books, and I had to convince her to let me keep the one I had, she also never let me read Harry Potter because of sorcery and witchcraft or something.

[@Harudodo]

Bro I loved the Junie B Jones books so much, I was so sad when they stopped !!

[@WhoCaresAlisha]

She really didn't GAF and I love it lol Junie B is such a throwback for me. These are some of the first books that I read on my own next to Nancy Drew.

[@serenitymoon825]

I've read all of ONE Junie B. Jones book, but it was so memorable that I remember her lunch lady's name was Gladys Guzman and Junie became a volunteer in the cafeteria because she adores Ms. Guzman

[@Hirobrinee]

I USED TO BEG MY UNCLES FOR THE BOOKS☹️☹️😔 they used to by my favorite for sooooo long i miss them😭

[@ThePonderer]

I’d always get Junie B Jones mixed up with Ramona as a kid.

[@melrose246]

I loved Ramona omg

[@Futurebound_jpg]

Ohhh youre right, i was like “isnt there a movie??” For the first half of this video but no thats romona and beezuz

[@cherachapin3826]

​@Futurebound_jpg there is a musical for Junie B. Jones. It's from the book when she enters first grade. My son got to go on a field trip in Kindergarten and see the show live at the fox theater. I found the book on Audible and it comes as a special addition with the musical!

[@Darling_Decay]

between her and fancy nancy, I was so obsessed with those two and aspired to be them as a kid

[@kristenslife03]

I love long videos so much! Especially yours!

[@avej99]

My school taking me to see the junie b jones musical was such a core memory for my personality

[@Nebulousart]

damn, i haven't thought of these books in almost 20 years--you really know how to bring out the dee cuts in a formative reader's life. you ever consider looking into abby hayes days? i was devastated when i learned no more books were coming out as a kid who wanted desperately to *be* abby

[@alexisklementis1369]

I remember a few series I loved as an avid reader and still think of these books!

[@moofmastermadison]

she was the og autistic girl and i still love her so much

[@kad559]

I always thought Junie was an icon for staying behind at school after it was let out. Also, my first grade teacher always did the BEST voices for these books. She had twenty seven year old students absolutely rolling in their seats

[@strawberrycats6880]

was so excited to see this video pop up, junie b jones books were such a big part of my childhood and brings back good memories

[@strawberrycats6880]

update after finishing the whole video: the whole parents’ issues thing was kind of wild to me. I feel like even reading these books as a kid I knew that a lot of what junie did wasn’t necessarily right, and even so, it can be a learning opportunity if they read it with their kid. also she’s five and it’s from her POV so it makes sense that she would talk like a five year old?? but aside from that, it was so fun to hear you recap these books bc I slowly started to remember them more as you went on :”) also tbh love her for “i’m the brains of this outfit”

[@KatieMarquez97]

My two fav KZbinrs who start off vids with clips of their child selves!!

[@venlafaxinequeen421]

I worked at the children’s section of a library and the Junie B. Jones is still quite popular.

[@GiannaFinizio]

THE WAY I STARTED SCREAMING AND GOING INSANELY EXCITED WHEN THIS VIDEO POPPED UP! JUNNIE B JONES WAS MY WHOLE CHILDHOOD! I USED TO HAVE EVERY SINGLE BOOK AS A KID AND WOULD ALWAYS READ THEM ALL THE TIME IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!🥹💕

[@whatever-qx9wx]

I was SO HYPE for this video. And then I was gobsmacked by you explaining the controversy over the series?? My mom and I absolutely loved this series, the wrong grammar was just the icing on the cake, because it was funny to realize they were wrong. We’d read them to each other and crack up mid sentence. It definitely got me reading more. And yeah even as a kid who was not that much older than Junie B. was- I knew she was a chaotic, troublemaking mess 😂 but I’d also want to be her friend just to see what shenanigans she gets into lmao I’d really adore a Ramona video if you could get to reading those!! They are older, but very good.

[@DaedricThot]

I'm forever grateful I got to experience Junie B. Jones and other books series before they got banned. Please vote guys.

[@JamboreeBlackberry]

Junie B. was my IDOL as a child, I long for the days of worshipping that absolute QUEEN

[@SalemTheTyrant]

I feel like parents who hated Junie B Jones but liked diary of a wimpy kid just hated the idea of a little girl behaving in any way other than like a little lady

[@Far_away_long_ago]

dropped everything to watch this video

[@Magical-N]

My mom and I loved reading these books together! We had all three of the ones you read. Richie Nanna is iconic. XD

[@callanightshade8079]

When I was in 1st grade my teacher would read us every Junie B Jones book she had and we did a class project about her where we listed facts about her. One of my classmates immediately said "she doesn't behave like you're supposed to" referring to how she doesn't follow rules and everything. My teacher was so proud that we recognized that lol

[@christinar.7955]

I was reading the Junie B. books when I was Junie B.'s age, and I can't remember ever thinking the way she spoke was anything but silly. I was never led to believe that her grammar was proper because, well, I also read OTHER books. Sending hate to the author because you don't want your kids reading their books is insane. Aren't you in control of that? As the parent? Just don't buy those books for your kid.

[@FredJensen4745]

School libraries. They can get them there and not tell their parents.

[@xrosegorex]

When the author of junie b died, my (school) librarian told us all "no more junie b" and i thought she meant we weren't allowed to read junie b anymore and i cried so hard that day

[@trudiemurphy7947]

EVERY child bringing a pet to school would be disastrous... My mom was the librarian at my elementary school, and in the 3rd grade she brought one of our cats to a show and tell! Our sweet Polkadot just hung out in the library's storage room for the rest of that day.

[@codybenson2432]

Hearing you talk about this series makes me want a video of magic tree house so bad omg

[@whoareyoulookingfor]

just wanted to say congrats to your dad for undetectable cancer!!!! huge celebration!!! my mom also was just cleared as undetectable recently too!!!!

[@Vulpineberry]

I loved these books. Her fashion sense felt realistic and really fun. I wanted a fluffy sweater just like hers. Fun fact, in Polish translation they gave her a last name that translates to smg like "meanie" which I found really odd even as a kid.

[@vvs9992003]

Aw I just remembered her frilly white socks