Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park

"Mama, lookit! I got 'P'! It was next to the books on that shelf!"

"Oggie! Let's put it back. We do not pull the letters off the shelf."

"Mama! Read this! It says Yucky, Blucky Fruitcake?! That's silly!"

"Mmhmm... yes, it does sound silly, Ana... Can you keep an eye on Og? I need to find my books."

"Mama! I found Splat the Cat! I love him! No, no, Stoppit, Naanaa! I was holdeen it! Don't gwab it! Mama! Mama!"

"Oggie, what do you want to tell her? Ana, not polite to grab it. Give it back, please."

"Mama, can you weed Splat the Cat to me now, please?"

"In a minute, Og, when I am back. You can sit here and read by yourself for a short while. I will be right back."

"Oggie, do you want me to read Splat the Cat to you?"

"Yes, Naanaa. You could weed it to me!"

As they settle down at the table, I hurry to the holds shelf to get my books...

Library visits with Og and Ana are becoming more of a three-ring circus these days - too much excitement, too little self-control, especially on Og's part. He is still a toddler...

However, a few weeks ago, "What is a fruit cake? What does blucky mean?" inevitably led to "Can we take this home so I can read it, Mama?"

And read it she did. By herself. Silently. Wrapper to wrapper. In the first couple of hours after we got home. All 60-odd pages of this tiny chapter book.

And that's how Junie B. Jones insinuated herself into our lives.

"Mama, Junie B. Jones is a kindergartner. I am a kindergartner. Her little brother's name is Ollie. My little brother's name is Oggie. She is silly. She doesn't know how to spell some words. I can teach her. She makes a lot of mistakes, Mama. And, she doesn't even listen to her parents. She says stupid a lot, and that's not polite. But, I like her. She could be my friend."

Yes, indeed! She has zipped through nearly half a dozen Junie B. books - Kindergartner, not First Grader books yet.

Between Rainbow Fairies, Flower Fairies, Jack & Annie (Magic Tree House), The Littles, and now Junie B., it seems like I rarely get to read to my baby anymore!

She still enjoys a picture book or two and lets me read them to her on and off...
However, the larger volumes of classics are a great opportunity for me. We recently read Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass (Thanks Mom!). The language style being a bit different from what she has been exposed to so far, she liked being read to. "What does beg your pardon mean?" made me smile...


[image source: Business & Heritage Clarksville (Banned Books)]