Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentine

Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentine
By: Barbara Park
Illustrated by: Denise Brunkus
Fiction

This story is about Junie B. Jones a young girl in kindergarten. She and her classmates get excited when they find out they are celebrating Valentine's day. After the teacher tells them they are going to make cards, they come up with crazy ideas on what kinds of things they will have at the party, from all kinds of candy to chainsaw jugglers. Junie B. was confused when her teacher told her she had to bring a card for everyone, even the "big, fat stinky heads." After she picked the perfect valentines for everyone, she ended up decided on one with a skunk on the front for Jim, since she didn't like him. The next day, Junie B.'s friend Lucille bragged about how she would get the most cards because she was the prettiest and richest girl in class, but they argued back with reasons why Grace would get the most. Junie B. was angry when the day of the party arrived and she only got 16 valentine's while everyone else got 17. (one from each student in class) While Junie B. was trying to figure out who didn't give her a valentine, the teacher found a big card at the very bottom for her covered in hearts and lace that was signed "your secret admirer." She was determined to find out who sent it and when she ran back in from recess to get it she saw Jim looking at it. He accidentally told her that it was from him and that he liked her but didn't want anyone to know. They decided not to tell anyone because if they did Room Nine would never be the same.

This would be a great book to have students read before Valentine's day. I know that many times students may play favorites and may not want to make a valentine for everyone in the classroom, but it's important as a teacher to make sure they understand how people would feel if they didn't get as many valentines as someone else. You could have your students each make a Valentine's day box for their desk and have everyone else write someone nice about that person on a paper heart and put it in their box. This is a good way to include everyone and make each student feel special on Valentine's day. You could also ask your students to research how Valentine's day started and have a class discussion about what they found.