Junie B., on her first day of kindergarten, decides she doesn’t like riding the bus. To begin with, the girl whose hair she likes won’t let Junie B. sit next to her. Then the boy who does sit next to her won’t let her play with the zippers on his back pack. Then, getting off the bus, she falls down and someone steps on her skirt. She determines not to take the bus back home.

When school ends, Junie B. hides in the supply closet. After everyone is gone, she comes out and explores and plays with stuff in the classroom. When that gets boring, she heads for the library and the nurse’s office, hiding from the janitor whenever he happens by. Finally, Junie B. decides she has to go to the bathroom. But the doors are locked! She does what she’s been told to do in an emergency — she calls 911. The fire department comes, along with the principal, Junie B.’s teacher and her mom.

The next day, Junie B.’s mom arranges for her to sit on the bus with a girl from her class.

I read this book because it came highly recommended by Margaret’s granddaughters, Andrea and Danielle, at the Carp party last weekend. They want to put the whole series on Carp. All I knew about them was that Sal wouldn’t let Lindy read them in grade school because Junie B. is sassy and rude and calls everyone stupid and dumb. But they’re reported to be hilariously funny and are a big hit with young girls.

I guess I can understand why a kid would like this book. The idea of running around a school unsupervised would be pretty exciting for a kindergartener. But the character of Junie B. is certainly one I wouldn’t encourage my children to emulate. Whenever she is afraid or doesn’t like something, she calls it stupid. Whenever she doesn’t get her way, she yells and stomps her feet. She never gets punished — for ditching her class and not getting on the bus, for pushing and calling others names, for saying she hates other kids, or for playing with school supplies. And I never found the writing to be particularly funny or clever.