Junie B., First Grader: Cheater Pants (Junie B. Jones Series) FROM OUR EDITORS
The Barnes & Noble Review
No peeking, Junie B! Barbara Park's free-spirited first grader is back, and this time, she's not keeping her eyes on her own paper.
On Monday morning, Mr. Scary asks the Room One kids to read their homework essay assignments to the class, but unfortunately, Junie B. hasn't done hers. So when May leaves her desk -- with her essay lying in plain view -- Junie decides to copy it. Of course, Mr. Scary finds out (both girls' weekends are oddly similar) and a shamefaced Junie has to fess up. Has she learned a lesson? In typical Junie B. fashion, nothing in her life comes without a twist. When good "pallie" Herbert later shows her an answer during a spelling test, the two clear their "cheater pants" consciences by telling the truth.
Parks has done it again with this hilarious Junie B. book that hits the mark. Kids will groan when they see Junie cheating because they know what's to come, while parents will appreciate Mr. Scary's handling of the situation (he expresses his appreciation for their honesty, but she and Herbert still get zeroes). Teaching readers that cheaters never prosper is clear yet lighthearted with Junie setting the example. Matt Warner
ANNOTATION
When her father will not let her stay up late to do her homework, first grader Junie B. copies a classmate's paper.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Junie B. Jones has all the answers when it comes to cheating. It's just plain wrong!
But what about copying someone else's homework? That's not cheating, right? 'Cause homework isn't even a test! And speaking of tests...what if a friend shares an answer that you didn't even ask for? Sharing definitely isn't cheating...is it?
Uh-oh. Maybe this cheating business is more complicated than Junie B. thought. Could she be a cheater pants and not even know it?
FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature - Susan Hepler, Ph.D.
Back for the twenty-first round, Junie this time explores what cheating is in a tight, well-focused story that just suits the developmental understandings of the implied reader. Sure, it is cheating if you copy your friend's paper and submit it as your own, but is it really cheating if you pretend to read it and supply your own words? Is it such a big deal if when you forgot there was going to be a spelling test, you sort of see a spelling word on someone else's paper, and he encourages you to, and it helps you spell "would" correctly? Junie makes the right decisions while the reader thinks through the ethical issues. Parents and teachers react appropriately but supportively. When Junie and her friend talk it over, they both feel better and tell their teacher. The teacher writes Junie an "awesome" haiku, and we are ready for her next adventure. As in the other books, Junie's grammatical understandings reflect her age and she tells it as she sees it. The conversational style and Brunkus's cartoons give new readers courage to tackle more print. Readers slightly older will smile reminiscently and while some adults may wince, most of those readers won't be saying "me and Herb" by next year. 2003, Random House, Ages 5 to 8.
School Library Journal
Gr 1-4-In her fourth "First Grader" book, Junie B. grapples with the ethical issue of cheating and learns how to work collaboratively. She gets caught after she copies a homework assignment. Later, she and another student confess to cheating on a spelling test. Between these two episodes, Junie B. and three classmates have a great experience writing a cinquain poem on friendship. The story wraps up nicely with the protagonist getting support from her parents and a cinquain composed by her teacher, commending her on her honesty. This beginning chapter book is written in first-person narrative with occasional journal entries. Dollops of humor keep the plot from being heavy-handed. The adults and children are believably portrayed, and the comical drawings match the tone of the story.-Marilyn Ackerman, Brooklyn Public Library, NY Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
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