by Barbara Park
That is not good taste.
That weekend was the longest day of my life.
I kept on wanting to get back to school so I could work on the play some more!
That's how come on Monday morning, I ran to my desk as fast as I could. Only I couldn't even stay in my chair that good. ’Cause I had excitement in my seat, that's why!
Finally, the bell rang for school.
And then wowie wow wow!
Mr. Scary took us to the auditorium to practice on a real, actual stage! And that is a dream come true!
My heart was thumping and pumping when I walked up the steps.
Then all of us sat down on the stage floor. And Mr. Scary got us started.
“Boys and girls, we're going to begin with the very first scene, where Queen Isabella meets Columbus,” he said. “Lucille and José? Will you come here, please?”
José and Lucille hurried to the front. Then Mr. Scary stood them on separate sides of the stage. And they walked toward each other until they met in the middle.
They said their lines.
“Hello, sailor. My name is richie Queen Isabella,” said Lucille.
José did a bow.
“Hola, Queen Isabella. My name is Cristóbal Colón,” he said. “I would like to look for a new trade route to China. Can I please have some money to sail the ocean blue?”
Lucille pretended to think for a second. Then she fluffed her fluffy hair. And she pulled fake money out of her purse.
“Okay. Here's some money,” she said. “But please bring back the change.”
Mr. Scary quick raised his hand and hollered, “Hold it!”
“I don't really remember the line about bringing back the change, Lucille,” he said. “Is that something new you've added?”
Lucille nodded. “Yes. My nanna and I thought of it over the weekend,” she explained. “Nanna says that rich people always ask for the change. Or else how do you think they got rich?”
Mr. Scary stared at Lucille a real long time.
Then finally, he said, “Let's move on.” And he called for the actors in Scene Two.
Scene Two is where Columbus picks out the sailors for his trip.
All of the sailors ran speedy quick to the front of the stage.
Then José stood on a box in front of them. And he said his next line.
“Who would like to sail the ocean blue with me? Please call out your names,” he said.
And so the sailors called out their names.
And guess what?
One was named Sinbad! And one was named Popeye! And another one was named Captain Hook!
I clapped my hands very happy.
“This play is turning out better than I thought!” I said.
After that, it was time for the three ships.
I quick grabbed Sheldon's hand. And I pulled him behind me to the front of the stage.
And what do you know? I got there first! And Sheldon got there second! And May was last!
I skipped all around her very springy. And I sang a happy ship song.
It was to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell.”
The Pinta got here first!
The Pinta got here first!
Hi-ho, the derry-o,
The Pinta got here first!
Mr. Scary made a mad face.
“Junie B., that's enough,” he said. “For the very last time … this is not a race.”
May stuck her nose in my face.
“Yeah, Junie Jones. This is not a race,” she said. “Not, not, not a race!”
Mr. Scary bent down between us.
“I'm talking to you, too, May,” he said. “If you two can't get along, I'll find someone else to do your parts. Do you both understand?”
May kept looking at me.
“I understand. Do you understand, Junie Jones? Huh? Do you? Do you? Do you?”
Mr. Scary stood back up.
Then—very silent—he took May to the back of the stage. And he made her sit down.
I laughed and pointed and waved to her back there.
Then bad news.
I had to sit down, too.
As soon as I finished writing, the bell rang to go home.
I quick put away my journal. And I skipped out of Room One very gleeful.
Only ha! That night, after I ate dinner, Mother and Daddy drove me right back there. And I skipped back in again!
And guess what?
There were parents snooping everywhere!
They were snooping at our bulletin boards. And snooping in our desks. And they were even snooping in our test papers!
All of the children had tension in us.
’Cause every test can't be a gem, you know.
Then finally, Mr. Scary saved the day.
He clapped his loud hands together. And he said it was time for the play!
Then whew! All of us got relief on our faces. And we hurried to the auditorium as fast as we could go. And we quick put on our costumes.
I tapped on Sheldon very giggly.
“My stomach has flutterflies in it,” I said. “Does yours, Sheldon? Does your stomach have flutterflies in it?”
Just then, Roger sneezed real loud near Sheldon's ear.
Sheldon made a sick face. Then he quick held his nose nostrils again. And he whispered the word germy boy.
Pretty soon, Mr. Scary made the shush sign. Then he smiled at us in our costumes.
“Okay, people. It's showtime!” he whispered very excited.
He did a happy thumbs-up.
We did a happy thumbs-up back.
Then, very slow …
Mr. Scary opened the curtains …
And our Columbus play began!
Lucille and José walked to the middle of the stage.
“Hello, sailor. My name is richie Queen Isabella,” said Lucille.
José did a bow.
“Hola, Queen Isabella. My name is Cristóbal Colón. I would like to look for a new trade route to China. Can I please have some money to sail the ocean blue?”
Lucille reached into her purse.
“Okay. Here's some money,” she said. “But please bring back the change.”
After that, José bowed to Lucille again. And Lucille curtsied to José. And they walked off the stage.
The sailors hurried to their places.
My heart pounded and pounded inside me. On account of after the sailors came … the ships!
Mr. Scary lined us up to go onstage.
“Good luck, you three!” he whispered.
THEN WOWIE WOW WOW!
IT WAS TIME!
I swallowed very hard.
Then me and May and Sheldon sailed right onto the stage. And we started to say our lines.
“I am the Pinta. And I am the fastest ship,” I said.
“I am the Santa María. And I'm the biggest ship,” said May.
Then Sheldon started to say his line, too. Only too bad for him. ’Cause just then, Roger did another loud sneeze. And you could hear it everywhere.
Sheldon scrunched his face very disgusted and looked back at him.
“I am the Niña. And Roger should wash his hands,” he said.
Me and May looked surprised at that line. But Mr. Scary whispered to keep on going.
José walked out and said his next words.
“Ah! Three fine ships! Just what I need to sail the ocean blue. Tomorrow we will begin our journey.”
After that, Shirley walked out with a big sign. It said:
OKAY … NOW IT'S TOMORROW.
The audience did a chuckle. Only I don't know why.
Then Camille and Chenille stretched their ocean waves across the floor.
And hurray, hurray!
All of us ships began to sail to Roger!
There was a curvy line on the floor of the stage for us to follow.
We were supposed to sail side by side very perfect.
Only just as I thought!
Pretty soon, May tried to squeeze in front o
f me!
And that was just plain wrong. On account of the Santa María was not the fastest ship. And you can't change history!
That is how come I had to speed up a teensy bit.
Only too bad for me.
Because when I speeded up, I accidentally nudged May's ship in her side.
And then BAM!
She nudged me back … hard. On purpose, I mean!
And CRASH!
The Pinta fell right off my shoulders! And I tripped over my ship! And I fell right smack on the floor!
Then OH NO! OH NO!
May tripped over my feet! And she fell down right on top of me!
And so Sheldon almost fell, too!
Only he quick did a swervy! And he crashed into Land instead!
And then KABOOM!
Both of them fell on the floor across from us!
And that's when the worstest thing of all happened!
Because, all of a sudden, AH—AH—AH—CHOOOOO!
Roger sneezed in Sheldon's face!
And it went right directly up his nostrils!
“AAUUGGHH!” yelled Sheldon.
Then he quick tried to get up. But he just kept falling down again.
And so Mr. Scary rushed onto the stage. And he stood Sheldon up on his feet.
Only more bad news!
Because Sheldon pulled away from him.
And then VAROOM!
Fast as a race car, he sailed straight back to Spain!
And down the steps!
And off the stage!
And right out the auditorium door!
I did a gasp at that sight.
Then I sat there sickish and frozen. And May sat sickish and frozen, too.
’Cause now Columbus would never get to America.
And it was all our fault!
It was the terriblest moment of my life.
I looked at the side of the stage.
All of the children had shock in their faces. Plus Mr. Scary had shock in his face, too.
He quick hurried over to close the stage curtain.
Only that's when a miracle happened!
’Cause just at that exact same minute, José hollered, “WAIT!”
Then, zippedy fast …
He jumped right into the ocean …
AND CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS SWAM TO AMERICA!
He did! He did! He really did!
He swam like the wind, I tell you!
And he landed right on Roger!
And all of the audience clapped and clapped!
Because Columbus got to America after all!
And that is not all the happy news, either!
’Cause the play was last night. And so today Mr. Scary brought a delicious cake to school! And we are going to have a YAY, JOSÉ! party!
Only there is still one teensy problem. On account of some of the children aren't actually speaking to me and May because of what happened in the play.
And so lucky for me that my bestest friend named Herbert got back from the virus today. ’Cause he already helped me write a ’pology to Room One.
I am going to read it after we have cake. On account of children are in better moods if they have sugar in them.
Here are the words I wrote to say:
BARBARA PARK is one of today's funniest authors. Her Junie B. Jones books are consistently on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. Her middle-grade novels, which include Skinny-bones, The Kid in the Red Jacket, Mick Harte Was Here, and The Graduation of Jake Moon, have won over forty children's book awards. Barbara holds a B.S. in education. She has two grown sons, one small grandson, and a medium-sized dog. She lives with her husband, Richard, in Arizona.
DENISE BRUNKUS'S entertaining illustrations have appeared in over fifty books. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and daughter.
Text copyright © 2004 by Barbara Park.
Illustrations copyright © 2004 by Denise Brunkus.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Random House Children's Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.randomhouse.com/kids/junieb
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Park, Barbara.
Junie B., first grader: shipwrecked / by Barbara Park;
illustrated by Denise Brunkus. — 1st ed.
p. cm. — (The Junie B. Jones series; #23)
“A Stepping Stone Book.”
SUMMARY: Junie B.'s journal entries start with Room One's stomach virus excitement, the first-grade Columbus Day play, and getting the part of the Pinta, the fastest ship.
eISBN: 978-0-375-89447-3
[1. Sick—Fiction. 2. Theater—Fiction. 3. Schools—Fiction.
4. Columbus Day—Fiction. 5. Diaries—Fiction.]
I. Title: Shipwrecked. II. Brunkus, Denise, ill. III. Title.
IV. Series: Park, Barbara. Junie B. Jones series; v #23.
PZ7.P2197Jsk 2004 [Fic]—dc22 2003018361
RANDOM HOUSE and colophon are registered trademarks and A STEPPING STONE BOOK and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.
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