Junie B., First Grader: Toothless Wonder

by Barbara Park

  Then I stood up kind of jittery. And I opened my lips a teensy bit so the children could see my tooth hole.

  And what do you know?

  Room One was happy for me!

  All of them smiled real nice.

  Except, not May, of course.

  May just rolled her eyeballs.

  “I think you look weird, Junie Jones,” she said. “I think your smile looks silly.”

  I sat down. “No, May. This is a silly smile,” I said.

  Then I put my fingers in the sides of my mouth. And I stretched my smile across my face. And I wiggled my tongue at her very fast.

  Lennie and José laughed and laughed.

  And guess what? At lunchtime, I made my smile even funnier. ’Cause Lennie gave me a raisin. And I put it right in my tooth hole! And it stuck there very hilarious!

  Shirley laughed her head off at that joke.

  I am beginning to enjoy that girl.

  “So how much did the tooth fairy leave you?” she asked. “Did you get a bundle?”

  “Yeah,” said Lennie. “I was wondering that, too.”

  I started feeling squirmy again. I looked at Herb kind of worried.

  He tried to explain the matter to them.

  “Well, uh … Junie B. didn't exactly leave her tooth for the fairy yet,” he said.

  All of the children looked at me. “Why?” they said. “Why didn't you leave it, Junie B.?”

  I squirmed some more. Then finally, I took a deep breath.

  “I've got issues with that fairy, that's why,” I said kind of quiet.

  “Issues?” asked Lennie. “Like what kind of issues?”

  I swallowed real hard. “Issues like … well, you know … like what does she do with the teeth, for instance,” I said.

  For a minute, nobody said anything.

  Then May made the cuckoo sign at me.

  “What does the fairy do with the teeth?” she said. “What kind of dumb issue is that?”

  I flashed my angry eyes at that girl.

  “Well, if it's so dumb, then you must know the answer. Right, May?” I said. “And so what does the fairy do with the teeth? Huh? She doesn't pay money just to throw them away, does she?”

  After that, I waited and waited for her to answer.

  The other children waited, too.

  But May didn't say anything.

  “Well?” I said.

  “Well?” said Shirley.

  “Well?” said José.

  Finally, May's face turned red. And she went to get a drink of water.

  After that, the whole lunch table started talking about the fairy. Only no one knew what she did with the teeth.

  We wondered and wondered.

  Then, all of a sudden, Lucille stood up. And she fluffed her fluffy dress.

  “Well, guess what? I don't really care what the tooth fairy does with the teeth. All I care about is how much money she leaves.”

  She looked at Room One. “You're nothing without money, people. Remember that,” she said.

  I tapped my fingers on the table kind of annoyed.

  “Yeah, only that doesn't even answer my question, Lucille. ’Cause I still don't know what she does with the teeth.”

  Lucille put her hands on her hips.

  “Well, maybe she just collects them,” she said. “Did you ever think of that? Huh? Collecting stuff is a hobby, you know. My richie nana collects tons of junk. And she pays good money for it, too.”

  I tapped my fingers some more.

  Then I put my chin in my hands. And I thought about Lucille's nana.

  Finally, I started to smile a little bit. ’Cause maybe Lucille's idea might make some sense, possibly.

  Pretty soon, Herb smiled a little bit, too.

  “A tooth collection, huh?” he said. “Hmm. Maybe that's the answer, Junie B. Yeah, that just might be it. The fairy might collect teeth as a hobby or something.”

  “Sure,” said Lennie. “There's nothing wrong with collecting stuff. Like, I collect baseball cards. But I don't really do anything with them.”

  “Sí, and I collect matchbox cars,” said José. “What's wrong with that?”

  Just then, Sheldon springed up from the table.

  “Yes! And I collect vacuum-cleaner bags! And the doctor says that's perfectly normal!”

  After that, Sheldon laughed. And he pretended to vacuum his pants.

  All of us moved away from him.

  Then the bell rang and everyone went outside for recess.

  That afternoon, I wrote in my journal.

  That night, Mother put me in bed.

  Daddy was in baby Ollie's room. He was trying to rock that cranky boy to sleep.

  We heard Ollie fussing.

  “I bet you're glad I'm not that bad. Right, Mother?” I said. “That baby is a pain in our necks. Right?”

  Mother laughed. “Oh, believe me, Junie B., you were no peach when you were teething, either,” she said.

  She tickled me a little bit. “Speaking of teeth … tonight's the big night, right?” she said. “Tonight's the night you're finally leaving your tooth for the fairy.”

  I covered my face with my sheet.

  “Don't remind me,” I said.

  Mother laughed again. “Don't be silly. This is going to be fun.”

  She handed me my tooth to put under my pillow.

  I handed it right back to her.

  “You do it, Mother. You put it under my pillow, okay?” I said. “And put it close to the edge, please. ’Cause I don't want the fairy tramping around down there.”

  Mother put it close to the edge. She let me check it.

  After that, she leaned down. And she gave me a big hug.

  “I'm very proud of you, Junie B.,” she said. “I'm proud that you got over all that silly nonsense Paulie Allen Puffer told you.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “I am proud of me, too.”

  After that, Mother kissed me good night. And she turned out my light.

  I quick turned it on again.

  “Yeah, only I think I will sleep with the light on tonight,” I said. “You know … just in case I have to come running out of my room in the middle of the night because there's a witch in here.”

  Mother did a sigh.

  “Whatever,” she said.

  After that, she gave me another hug. And she closed my door.

  I jumped up and opened it again.

  “Yeah, only I think I will sleep with the door opened tonight,” I said. “You know … just in case I start screaming my head off in the middle of the night because there's a witch in here.”

  Mother said, “I give up.”

  I give up means the same as whatever, I believe.

  After that, she kissed me one more time.

  And she left my room.

  The next morning, I woke up very relieved.

  Because guess what?

  I made it through the night! That's what!

  I hugged myself real happy.

  Then, all of a sudden, I remembered about the fairy. And my heart started to pound and pound. ’Cause maybe there was money under my pillow right that very minute!

  I took a big breath.

  Then, very careful, I reached under there. And I felt all around.

  And bingo!

  My fingers touched something!

  I grabbed ahold of it and pulled it out.

  Then I sat up straight in bed.

  And I laughed and laughed.

  ’Cause good news! Ha!

  CASH!

  I zoomed to the kitchen and skipped around the table.

  “CASH! CASH! I GOT CASH!” I hollered real thrilled.

  “WHO WANTS TO SEE IT? HUH? WHO WANTS TO SEE MY CASH? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS!”

  I looked all around the kitchen.

  Then I stopped skipping.

  Because no one was actually in there.

  I zoomed back down the hall.

  “MOTHER! DADDY! WHERE ARE YOU? WHERE ARE YOU? THE FAI
RY LEFT ME MONEY!”

  Mother stuck her head out of Ollie's room. “We're in here, honey!” she called.

  I skipped into Ollie's room and showed them my money.

  “Look, people! I got cash! I got cash!” I said. “Only I don't know how much it adds up to. But it is a bundle, I bet!”

  Daddy's eyes got big and wide at my money.

  “Whoa! The tooth fairy must have been feeling very generous last night,” he said.

  “I know it,” I said. “I love that fairy, Daddy. She left me money. And she didn't even pinch my cheeks!”

  Ollie was sitting in his crib. He smiled out the bars at me.

  I looked surprised at him.

  “What's wrong with Ollie, Mother?” I asked. “Why is he smiling? Is he sick or something?”

  Mother laughed. “No, silly,” she said. “When I came in this morning, he was playing in his crib … happy as can be.”

  I scratched my head. “Really? Ollie's happy?” I said. “That's odd.”

  Daddy picked him up.

  “Well, actually Ollie had a little surprise for us this morning, too,” he said.

  He sat down with Ollie on the floor. Then, very gentle, he took my finger. And he rubbed it against Ollie's gums.

  “Hey!” I said. “It's ridgedy!”

  Daddy grinned. “It sure is,” he said. “That's Ollie's first tooth, Junie B.”

  My whole mouth came open at that good news!

  “A tooth?” I said. “Ollie got a tooth?”

  I felt the ridges some more.

  “Wowie wow wow! Last night was a good tooth night for both of us!” I said.

  “Yes, it was,” said Daddy. “What a neat coincidence, huh? Ollie got his first tooth on the very same night that the fairy came to get yours.”

  Mother ruffled my hair. “It's almost like Ollie was waiting for the tooth fairy to come, too, Junie B. Just like you.”

  I smiled at the thought of that.

  Then, all of a sudden, I stood real still. And goose bumps came on my arms.

  “Wait a minute,” I said real soft. “What did you just say, Mother?”

  Mother looked at me kind of strange. “I said it's almost like Ollie was waiting for the tooth fairy to come, too.”

  Just then, I did a loud gasp.

  “That's it!” I said. “That's it! That's it!”

  I springed way high in the air. Then I twirled all around. And I hugged Mother real tight.

  “Ollie did wait for the fairy!” I said. “He waited for the fairy, just like me!”

  Mother and Daddy raised their eyebrows very curious.

  I skipped all around them in a circle.

  “Don't you get it?” I said. “The fairy recycled! She recycled my baby tooth! And she gave it to Ollie!”

  My feet started to dance.

  “It's perfect!” I said. “It's just like Dan, Dan the Soda Can! The fairy took my tooth! And she made it all shiny and new! And then she gave it to my very own baby brother!”

  I quick bent down and felt Ollie's gum again.

  “Yes-sir-ee-bob! That's my tooth, all right! I'd know that tooth anywhere!” I said.

  Daddy scratched his head.

  “Well, I'll be,” he said.

  Mother laughed. “What a great idea.”

  “It is, Mother!” I said. “It is a great idea! Plus also, it is a big relief. ’Cause the tooth fairy doesn't just throw teeth in the garbage. Now I know that for sure.”

  I looked at my money again.

  “It's just like Miss Chris told us!” I said real squealy. “Recycling makes cents! Get it, Mother? Get it, Daddy? Cents sounds like sense! Ha! That's a good one, right?”

  After that, I zoomed to my room to get dressed for school.

  “I CAN'T WAIT TO TELL THE CHILDREN!” I hollered. “ROOM ONE IS GOING TO LOVE THIS NEWS!”

  I put on my favorite pants and sweater.

  Then I quick ran back to Ollie. And I felt his tooth some more.

  He smiled at me again.

  I smiled back at him.

  ’Cause what do you know?

  I think I might like that boy after all!

  Text copyright © 2002 by Barbara Park

  Illustrations copyright © 2002 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: toothless wonder / by Barbara Park;

  illustrated by Denise Brunkus.

  p. cm. “Junie B. Jones, #20” “A Stepping stone book.”

  SUMMARY: Junie B. Jones learns some interesting things about the

  Tooth Fairy when she becomes the first student in Room One to lose

  an upper tooth.

  eISBN: 978-0-375-89444-2

  [1. Teeth—Fiction. 2. Tooth Fairy—Fiction.] I. Brunkus, Denise, ill.

  II. Title. PZ7.P2197 To 2002 [Fic]—dc21 2002004161

  RANDOM HOUSE and colophon are registered trademarks and A STEPPING

  STONE BOOK and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.

  v3.0