by Barbara Park
I ran through the door. “IT'S ME, PEOPLE! IT'S JUNIE B. JONES! I AM HERE FOR GRADUATION!”
Lucille and Grace came rushing over.
They were already wearing their caps and gowns. And they looked marvelous, I tell you!
“Hurry up, Junie B.,” said Lucille. “Hurry up and put on your cap and gown. Our teacher is going to take our picture.”
“Yes!” said that Grace. “Hurry! Hurry!”
She quick grabbed my box away from me. And she took out my cap and gown.
Grace did a gasp.
“Oh no, Junie B.! What happened?” she said. “What happened to your cap and gown?”
My stomach felt squeezy and sickish. ’Cause that outfit looked spottier than I remembered.
“Put it down, Grace,” I said. “Don't show people. I don't want anyone to notice.”
Lucille laughed very loud.
“But that's so dumb, Junie B.,” she said. “How could people not notice? You colored big purple splotchies all over your graduation clothes.”
I did a huffy breath at that girl.
“Those are not big splotchies, Lucille,” I said. “Those are purple polka dotties that I drew to blend in my juice driblets. And that is a whole different ball game, madam!”
Just then, some of the children heard me yelling. They turned to look.
“Great, Lucille,” I said. “Now look what you did. You called attention to myself! And so now how can I even blend in?”
After that, I quick grabbed my graduation gown. And I ran to the back of the room.
Just then, I heard a voice.
“Junie B. Jones?”
I looked to the front of the room.
It was my teacher.
Mrs. stretched her neck to look back at me. “Is there a problem back there, Junie B.?” she asked.
I shook my head real fast.
“No, Mrs.! No!” I said. “There isn't a problem. I promise! And so please do not come back here. And I mean it.”
Mrs. came back there.
And what do you know …
All of Room Nine came with her.
Mrs. took my cap and gown out of my hands.
The children laughed and laughed at that thing.
“What kind of dumb gown do you call that?” said Meanie Jim.
“I know!” said Paulie Allen Puffer. “It's the kind of gown that a clown would wear!”
“Yeah!” shouted Jim. “It's a purple, spotty clown gown!”
After that, the laughing got louder and louder.
I put my hands over my ears to keep it out of my head.
Then I tried to tell them about Raggedy Larry. And the driblets. And my purple colored marker. But my nose started running very much. And I couldn't even talk that good.
Finally, I started to cry.
And guess what?
Then nobody laughed anymore.
Mrs. took me into the hall.
She wiped my face with a tissue. And we talked about my graduation gown.
Mrs. said I would look darling in that dotty thing. ’Cause purple is her favorite color. Plus grape juice is her favorite kind of drink.
I kept on crying.
’Cause I didn't actually buy it, that's why.
Pretty soon, Mother and Daddy came hurrying to Room Nine. They brought Grampa Miller with them.
Their eyes popped out at my spotty, dotty gown.
“I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please don't yell at me,” I said. “’Cause I'm already crying, see? Plus wearing this dumb clown gown will be punishment enough.”
Mother and Daddy didn't yell. They said we would talk about this problem later.
After that, Mother helped me put on my cap and gown. And she hugged me very nice.
Then Daddy grinned. And he said I look cute in dots.
“She does look cute,” said Grampa Miller. “And not only that, but when she goes on the stage, she'll be easy to spot.”
He winked at me.
I did a giggle. ’Cause that man is a silly joker, that's why.
Finally, Mrs. patted me.
“Are you feeling better now, Junie B.?” she asked. “Are you ready to go back inside and be with your friends?”
I shrugged kind of worried.
“Sure she is! Of course she is!” said my grampa. “My goodness! This is Junie B. Jones!”
After that, he stood me up straight and tall. And he faced me to my classroom.
Then I breathed in a big breath.
And me and Mrs. went back into Room Nine.
Paulie Allen and Jim jumped out at me.
“SURPRISE!” they hollered. “SURPRISE! SURPRISE!”
“SURPRISE!” hollered my bestest friend named Grace.
I looked at those people very shocked. Then my mouth came all the way open!
’Cause THEY HAD DOTS ON THEIR CLOTHES! JUST LIKE MINE!
That Grace skipped all around.
“It was Jim's idea, Junie B.!” she said. “Jim said that if all of us have spots, too, then you will feel better! And so Paulie Allen Puffer found the colored markers! And we colored our caps and gowns just like yours!”
Grace looked at Mrs.
“See us, Teacher? Aren't we beautiful? I colored red spots. And Jim colored blue spots. And Paulie Allen Puffer colored green spots,” she said.
Just then, William raised his hand. “And I'm coloring orange spots,” he said kind of soft.
“And I'm coloring lavender spots!” said Charlotte.
“And I'm coloring pink spots!” said my bestest friend Lucille. “’Cause pink brings out the natural blush of my cheeks.”
Mrs. smiled.
Her smile kept on getting bigger.
“Well, Junie B. Jones?” she said finally. “What do you think about all of this? Hmm?”
My face beamed very joyful.
“I THINK I LOVE THESE PEOPLE! THAT'S WHAT I THINK!” I hollered.
Then Jim said, “Gross!”
And Paulie Allen Puffer said, “Gross!” too.
After that, all of Room Nine laughed and laughed.
And this time … even me!
Graduation finally got started.
The Room Eight teacher walked up the steps of the stage. She said hello to all the people.
Then Mrs. walked up the steps of the stage, too. She was still smiling.
“Families and friends … I've been a teacher for a very long time,” she said. “But in all my years of teaching, these are some of the most colorful graduates I've ever seen.”
Mrs. held out her arms.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to present the graduates of Room Eight and Room Nine.”
Just then, the music started. And all of the children walked into the auditorium.
The audience chuckled at us very happy.
Room Nine chuckled back at them.
After that, all of us sat in special chairs. And both of the teachers talked and talked some more.
And then, it finally happened!
Mrs. started to call our names! And one by one we walked up on the stage. And we got our diplomas!
And good news!
Paulie Allen Puffer did not bow real silly. And Lynnie did not step on people's heels. And shy William did not run away.
It was the time of our life, I tell you!
I felt a billion feet tall up there.
When Mrs. gave me my diploma, she shook my hand real nice.
“I'm going to miss you, Junie B. Jones,” she said. “You are truly one of a kind.”
“Thank you, Mrs.,” I said. “You are truly one of a kind, too.”
After that, my grampa Frank Miller did a loud whistle. And Mother and Daddy clapped very proud.
And here is the happiest news of all!
When graduation was over, Room Nine did not even have to say good-bye to each other! Because all of us are coming back to this same school for first grade! So we can play at recess, just like Mother said!
And guess what else?
Because we will be friends forever and forever.
And always and always.
And I mean it.
Barbara Park says:
When I wrote the first adventure of Junie B. Jones, my plan was to keep her in kindergarten forever. ‘Almost six’ seemed exactly the right age for a spunky little girl who could almost keep her slightly outrageous personality under control … but not quite.
Then, little by little, I began to change my mind. After all, part of the fun of going to school is knowing that your hard work will be rewarded at the end of the year by a promotion to the next grade level. And Junie B. has definitely come a long way since the first day she rode the ‘stupid smelly bus’ to kindergarten.
So hurray! Graduation Day has finally arrived for Room Nine! And, of course, when Junie B. Jones is part of the ceremony, things almost go smoothly … but not quite.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2001 by Barbara Park
Illustrations copyright © 2001 by Denise Brunkus
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Random House Children's Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
RANDOM HOUSE and colophon are registered trademarks and A STEPPING STONE BOOK and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.
JUNIE B. JONES is a registered trademark of Barbara Park, used under license.
www.randomhouse.com/junieb
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Educators and librarians, for a variety of teaching tools, visit us at www.randomhouse.com/teachers
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Park, Barbara.
Junie B. Jones is a graduation girl / by Barbara Park ;
illustrated by Denise Brunkus.
p. cm. — “A Stepping Stone book.”
SUMMARY: Junie B. Jones has just turned six and is looking forward to her kindergarten graduation, but when grape juice stains the white gown she couldn't resist trying on, she is afraid graduation is ruined.
eISBN: 978-0-375-89441-1
[1. Kindergarten—Fiction. 2. Schools—Fiction.]
I. Brunkus, Denise, ill. II. Title.
PZ7.P2197 Jtwg 2001 [Fic]—dc21 00-045975
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