Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying

October 1, 1994
Gr 1-3-Kindergartener Junie B. Jones is back, and she has decided to become a spy. Curious to discover where her teacher, "Mrs.," lives, she takes her sneaky feet out on the case. When she thinks that she has witnessed Mrs. committing a crime, she tries hard to keep quiet, even when a friend warns her that keeping secrets can make your head explode. Junie's chatty narrative style, reminiscent of Eloise, becomes a bit much at times, but her five-going-on-six viewpoint rings true. Young readers ready for short chapter books are close enough to their own kindergarten memories to find Junie B.'s adventures, illustrated with black-and-white drawings, both familiar and funny.-Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL

November 15, 1994
Gr. 2-4. The irrepressible Junie B. Jones, seen most recently in "Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth" (1993), returns for her fourth adventure. This time her penchant for "sneaky peeky spying" gets her in trouble when, as a result of some laundry-hamper espionage, she frightens her grandfather into dropping his dentures. After her mother forbids future covert activities, Junie tries to be more discreet, and she catches her teacher sampling grapes in the local produce department. Naturally, Junie misunderstands, resulting in still another hilarious trip to the principal's office and much embarrassment for everyone concerned. Park has a wonderful ear for the dialogue of five-year-olds and an even better grasp of how their minds operate. Junie truly means well, but her inexperience and impulsiveness land her in trouble every time. A sure bet for beginning chapter-book readers, although Junie's linguistic idiosyncrasies may prove confusing for English-as-a-second-language learners. Illustrated with black-line drawings. ((Reviewed November 15, 1994))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1994, American Library Association.)