Junie B., First Grader: One-Man Band (Junie B. Jones, Book 22)

Junie B. Jones is thrilled. "The whole entire first grade" is planning a kickball tournament, and this feisty first grader daydreams about being the star of Room One. Unfortunately, where Junie B. goes, trouble must follow. "And it’s called, I accidentally kicked my ball over the fence. And I didn’t want to go get it. So I had to find something else to kick." That something else turns out to be her mom’s watering can--which happens to be full at the time. Now Junie B. has an owie on her piggy toe and it looks like she won't be able to participate in the tournament. But wait! Her friend Sheldon can't play kickball either, due to a spectacular fall in the classroom. Maybe these two can come up with an alternate plan that will still allow Junie B. to be the star!

Barbara Park’s inexhaustible beginning chapter-book series has all the ingredients young readers like best: humor, repetition, predictability (with a few surprises), and lots of silly action. Grown-up readers might tire of the cute malapropisms, but kids will thrive on the "whole entire" series. (Ages 5 to 8)--Emilie Coulter