Junie B. Jones Is (Almost) A Flower Girl (1999) - Plot & Excerpts
Junie B. Jones seeks out attention in this short children’s novel by Barbara Park. After a break up between Junie B. Jones and her young boyfriend, Junie B. wants to prove that she is all grown up and not too little to have a relationship. Junie B. Jones receives the perfect opportunity to prove that she is all grown up when a family member decides to throw a wedding. Junie B. Jones is excited to be invited to her aunt Flo’s upcoming marital celebration, which her mother tells her that she is invited to at the beginning of the story. Although her family received an invitation, Junie B. is more concerned about being in the wedding party, rather than being just a guest. Junie B. Jones wants to be Aunt Flo’s flower girl, and she even discusses with other students during school that she will be at Flo’s wedding soon. Junie B. Jones later calls her aunt to tell her that she will be her flower girl, but is devastated when her Aunt chooses a girl named Bo instead of Junie. Her aunt chose Bo, because Bo will be her aunt’s sister in-law once the marriage occurs. Junie B. Jones is upset that she won’t be Aunt Flo’s flower girl, and she also gets into trouble with her grandpa for calling Flo without permission. Aunt Flo calls the Jones’ residence later, to tell them that Junie B. can be the substitute flower girl in case an alternate is needed for any reason. Junie B. still decides that it is unacceptable not to have the role that she wants, and she is determined to be the flower girl even if her aunt isn’t aware of it yet. Junie B. Jones gets a new formal outfit for the wedding, which makes her happy, but she later regrets having to wear this once the actual wedding happens since it becomes uncomfortable. At Aunt Flo’s wedding, Junie B. causes a scene when she tries to take some petals from the real flower girl, Bo. Later, her aunt and Bo give her petals, and Flo allows her to sit with the bridesmaids to make her feel included. Junie B. is ecstatic at first to feel all grown up, but she decides that she would rather be a kid and have less responsibilities in the end. The theme of this book is childhood, and determination. The reading level is for new readers in lower elementary school. This book is about a middle class white female. In a classroom setting this book would be excellent alongside of a lesson about traditions. Since weddings are traditional, the class could study various wedding ceremonies and what they look like throughout the world. Park, B., & Brunkus, D. (1999). Junie B. Jones is (almost) a flower girl. New York: Random House.
This book by Barbara Park is part of a wonderful series. This particular book is about Junie B. Jones, a first grader, who tries to be grown up lady. She is dumped by her boyfriend and is terribly upset but when she tells her mother her mother only tells her that she is too little to have a boyfriend. This is when Junie B. decides she must show her mother how grown up she is. Junie B.'s mother informs her that her Aunt Flo is getting married so Junie B. shows off the next day to all her friends that she is going to her very first wedding. Her friends tell Junie B. about how they were flower girls at weddings and Junie B. has decided she will be Aunt Flo's flower girl. When she gets home from school that day she disobeys her grandfather and calls her Aunt Flo to tell her the good news, only to find out that there is already a flower girl. Junie B. is devastated and gets in trouble for disobeying her grandfather. It ends up that Junie B. gets to be an alternate flower girl and gets to go buy a fancy new outfit for the occasion. At the wedding Junie B. wants a couple flower petals from the flower girl's basket and tries to grab them out during the wedding causing a huge scene. After the wedding the flower girl, Bo, and Aunt Flo bring Junie B. her two petals and Junie gets to set with the rest of the Bridesmaids at the long table. She attempts to act all grown up at the table while Bo, a five year old gets to play around at her seat. Junie B. gets annoyed of her grown up responsibilities and her foot falls asleep. She decides to stomp it awake and only becomes more annoyed with her fancy pantyhose and new sparkling shoes so she takes it all off and learns what it means to be foot loose and decides it's more fun to be a kid than a grown up. The illustrations by Denise Brunkus are great. The covers are always very colorful and outline the main concept from the book. The illustrations with in the book are like drawing outlines. These illustrations express the events and emotions of the story. This is a great book among many others in the series. I loved the Junie B. Jones series growing up. They incorporate realistic events and problems that young children deal with, so children are able to connect easily with the Junie B. books. I think the books are very funny and interesting, there are always fun adventures Junie B. is getting in to. I recommend this book for first to third grade children.
What do You think about Junie B. Jones Is (Almost) A Flower Girl (1999)?
Of all the books about Junie B. Jones, this one has to be right up there with the very best. Barbara Park is absolutely in top comic form in the pages of this story. There were several parts in the book that set me off laughing so hard that tears came from my eyes, and I'd spend minutes at a time just trying to read through those parts; every time I would read the words, I couldn't help laughing so hard that I wasn't even able to continue holding the book open. I'm not exaggerating. Barbara Park is the master of writing humor, in my opinion, and Junie B. Jones Is (almost) a Flower Girl is one of her best in this respect. I love it! What really sets this book apart from the others in the series, though, is the sympathy generated by Junie B.'s desire to be a flower girl at her aunt Flo's wedding. Her feelings about being left out come through with uncommonly genuine emotion, subtle enough to be an undercurrent for beginning readers while serving to make the story into something with which older kids will really be able to identify. Especially considering its brevity, this is a very good book, and I am so glad to have read it. It totally has my recommendation. I would put Junie B. Jones Is (almost) a Flower Girl in the two-and-a-half to three-star range.
—Josiah
Junie B. Jones finds out that her aunt is getting married, and tells her friends, Lucille and Grace, at school. Her friends get so excited and ask if she’s going to be the flower girl. Each one of them has been a flower girl before, so they teach her what to do. As soon as Junie B. gets home from school, she calls her aunt, against her grandpa’s instruction, and tells her that she’s going to be the flower girl! Unfortunately, her aunt has already given that job to another girl. Junie B. is so upset, but later finds out she gets to be the alternate flower girl. At the wedding, Junie B. wants to throw at least two flower petals, but the flower girl won’t let her, so it causes a scene at the church. The bride finds out about this at the reception, and asks Junie B. why she tried to steal all the flowers. Junie B. explains what she really wanted, and her and the flower girl end up becoming friends.
—Madison Godfrey
In the beginning of this book Junie gets dumped by her boyfriend Ricardo. When she goes home to tell her mom, her mom says its not that big of a deal and that she is too young to have a boyfriend. Junie thinks its the end of the world. While Junie is taking her bath, her mom tells her about her aunt Flo's wedding. When she goes to school the next day she tells her friends. They ask her if she is going to be a flower girl. She lies and says yes. When Junie gets home she calls her aunt and tells h
—Taylor
