Junie B., First Grader: Dumb Bunny (Junie B. Jones Series #27) » (Reprint)

The prolific creator of the Junie B. Jones series, Barbara Park says she wasn't particularly imaginative when she was young. No matter. Park and Junie B. are making up for lost time. In our interview, Park discussed her favorite books and writers, what she's working on next -- and told us a little bit about the antics of her puppy.

It's an Easter Egg-stravaganza!

Lucille is having an Easter Egg Hunt at her rich expensive mansion! And guess what? The winner gets a play date to swim in Lucille's heated indoor swimming pool! Only, here is the problem. How did Junie B. get stuck wearing a big dumb bunny suit? And how can she possibly find eggs when she keeps tripping over her huge big rabbit feet? Being a dumb bunny is definitely not as easy as it looks. Will Junie B. end up with egg on her face? Or will the day deliver some very uneggspected results?

Children's Literature

What goes around comes around is the underlying theme of the 27th book in the series of adventures of the kids in Room One, Mr. Scary's class. Junie B. calls May a "dumb bunny" and is reprimanded severely. Not long after, Lucille (a.k.a. the rich kid) invites the whole class to her mansion for an Easter egg hunt. The winner will get a chance to play with Lucille all day and bask in her new indoor pool, but when the day of the hunt comes, the Easter Bunny doesn't show up and so Plan B goes into effect: the kid who picks a purple jellybean gets the "thrill of a lifetime" which turns out to be the chance to be the alternate Easter Bunny. Guess who wins? Of course, Junie B. doesn't do so well at hunting Easter eggs, hampered as she is by her gigantic bunny feet. Exhibiting a new altruistic streak, Junie B. decides she can at least thwart May's efforts to win the play date by helping Sheldon Potts (who is wearing his lucky shirt with some breakfast still on it, "may the egg be with you") find the coveted golden egg. As a result, May, the tattletale, pegs Junie B. as the dumbest of dumb bunnies. In the end, Junie is glad she helped Sheldon, May represses her tattling, and Lucille is thrilled with how everything turns out for her. Like all the Junie B. books, this one is sprinkled with funny moments for readers of all ages.