Junie B. Jones Books in Order

Start with Book 1; first grade begins at Book 18

Read the 28 numbered prose books in publisher order. Start with The Stupid Smelly Bus, read Graduation Girl as Book 17, and begin the first-grade run with First Grader (at last!) as Book 18.

Toothless Wonder is Book 20, not the grade transition. The six linked entries here cover Books 1–5 and that optional Book 20 episode; the full checklist appears below them.

Six linked entry points

The linked list below contains Books 1–5 and Book 20. It is not the complete order. Use Books 1–5 to begin, or Book 20 as an optional tooth-loss episode. The full 28-title checklist follows.

Book 1. Start here

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus

by Barbara Park

The first kindergarten day and bus fear establish Junie B., Room Nine, and the nonstandard first-person narration.

This is the real orientation. It also includes hiding from adults, being alone at school, and a locked-bathroom emergency.
Book 2. Continue the kindergarten run

Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business

by Barbara Park

Junie B. misreads a description of her new baby brother and turns sibling jealousy into a school trading scheme.

It assumes the basic kindergarten setting and replaces the bus plot with a literal-language misunderstanding.
Book 3. Check the voice fit

Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth

by Barbara Park

Job Day and an impulsive claim put Junie B.’s mouthiness, embarrassment, and narration at the center.

This concentrates the language and behavior that adults debate instead of softening them after the opener.
Book 4. Continue if rule-breaking comedy works

Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying

by Barbara Park

Junie B. follows her teacher and gets into trouble, making privacy, honesty, and school consequences the episode’s problem.

This is a rule-breaking story, not a detective mystery and not a required turning point in a larger plot.
Book 5. Continue the numbered sequence

Junie B. Jones and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake

by Barbara Park

A school carnival, cakewalk, and unwanted fruitcake give this episode its competition and gross-food comedy.

It is not a Thanksgiving story, a seasonal prerequisite, or a structural series milestone.
Optional later entry. Book 20

Junie B., First Grader: Toothless Wonder

by Barbara Park

A settled first-grade episode turns a loose tooth into worry about appearance, blood, and what the Tooth Fairy does with teeth.

This is not the grade transition. Book 18 introduces the new classroom, teacher, classmates, and glasses.

The complete prose order and its boundaries

Kindergarten: Books 1–9

#1 Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus; #2 Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business; #3 Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth; #4 Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying; #5 Junie B. Jones and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake; #6 Junie B. Jones and That Meanie Jim’s Birthday; #7 Junie B. Jones Loves Handsome Warren; #8 Junie B. Jones Has a Monster Under Her Bed; #9 Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook.

Kindergarten: Books 10–17

#10 Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal; #11 Junie B. Jones Is a Beauty Shop Guy; #12 Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy; #13 Junie B. Jones Is (Almost) a Flower Girl; #14 Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentime; #15 Junie B. Jones Has a Peep in Her Pocket; #16 Junie B. Jones Is Captain Field Day; #17 Junie B. Jones Is a Graduation Girl.

First grade: Books 18–23

#18 Junie B., First Grader (at last!); #19 Junie B., First Grader: Boss of Lunch; #20 Junie B., First Grader: Toothless Wonder; #21 Junie B., First Grader: Cheater Pants; #22 Junie B., First Grader: One-Man Band; #23 Junie B., First Grader: Shipwrecked.

First grade: Books 24–28

#24 Junie B., First Grader: BOO...and I MEAN It!; #25 Junie B., First Grader: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! (P.S. So Does May.); #26 Junie B., First Grader: Aloha-ha-ha!; #27 Junie B., First Grader: Dumb Bunny; #28 Junie B., First Grader: Turkeys We Have Loved and Eaten (and Other Thankful Stuff).

The only strongly useful handoff is Books 17–18

Most episodes resolve their own school or family problem, so a missing middle volume usually does not spoil a long plot. Reading in number order still preserves classmates and the school year. Book 17 closes kindergarten with graduation, and Book 18 opens the new first-grade classroom.

Collections, audio, companions, and graphic novels are optional formats or side material

Boxed sets, omnibus editions, and audio collections package numbered stories without creating a second order. Journals and activity books are optional companions. The newer graphic novels adapt early stories; they do not replace or extend the original 28-book prose sequence.

Treat the voice as a fit question, not a literacy verdict

The narration uses nonstandard child grammar, name-calling, and rule-breaking comedy. A child may respond differently from the adult reading with them. Sample the voice for comprehension and enjoyment rather than treating the series as a literacy intervention or warning.

Publisher order and format sources

Penguin Random House series order
The current publisher page numbers the prose sequence through Book 28, identifies Book 18 as First Grader (at last!), and lists Book 20 as Toothless Wonder.
Penguin Random House complete 28-book set
The publisher calls this the complete collection of all 28 original paperback chapter books and lists them by number.
Penguin Random House: Graduation Girl
The publisher identifies this as Book 17 of 28 and describes Junie B.’s kindergarten graduation.
Penguin Random House complete first-grade collection
This collection begins with First Grader (at last!) and covers the first-grade portion of the prose series.
Library of Congress National Library Service sequence
The library list independently gives the numbered order and summaries for the early books.
Kirkus review of the prose opener
The original review supports the bus and hiding premise, illustrated-prose form, and nonstandard narration note.
Kirkus review of Book 2
The review supports the sibling plot and flags vocabulary and nonstandard speech as possible friction for some new readers.
Kirkus review of Toothless Wonder
The review identifies the first-grade tooth-loss episode and its blood, spit, and Tooth Fairy anxiety.
Kirkus review of the graphic adaptation
The review identifies the newer graphic novel as an adaptation with different creators and a different visual form.
School Library Journal on the grammar and behavior challenge
A librarian discusses objections to the language and behavior and a discussion-based response without claiming a literacy outcome.

A few practical questions

What is the complete Junie B. Jones reading order?

Read the 28 numbered prose books in publisher order. Books 1–17 are the kindergarten run, ending with Graduation Girl. Books 18–28 are the first-grade run, beginning with First Grader (at last!). The complete title checklist is on this page.

Do Junie B. Jones books have to be read in order?

Number order is useful but not strict plot homework. Most books resolve one school or family episode, so an unavailable middle volume usually will not ruin the next one. Keep Books 17 and 18 together when the kindergarten-to-first-grade change matters.

Which book moves Junie B. Jones into first grade?

First Grader (at last!) is Book 18 and the actual first-grade transition. Graduation Girl is Book 17 and closes kindergarten. Toothless Wonder is Book 20, after the new classroom is already established.

Can a reader start with Toothless Wonder?

Toothless Wonder can work as an optional later entry for a reader interested in a loose-tooth story. It skips the kindergarten run and the first-grade introduction. It also includes blood or spit imagery and worry about the Tooth Fairy.

Are the Junie B. Jones graphic novels part of the 28-book order?

No. The graphic novels adapt early prose stories in a different visual format. They can be alternate ways to encounter those stories, but they are not Books 29 and 30 and do not replace the numbered prose sequence.

What if the grammar in Junie B. Jones bothers an adult or child?

Sample the first book or try it aloud before buying a set. The nonstandard child narration is present from the opener. Use comprehension and enjoyment as the fit test rather than treating the series as a literacy intervention or warning.

Do boxed sets and audiobooks change the order?

No. Boxed sets, omnibus editions, ebooks, and audio collections package the numbered stories. Check the range on the container, then continue with the next book number.