Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth

by Beverly Cleary

Ramona has that same unfiltered, impulsive energy as Junie B.—she means well but constantly finds herself in trouble because she says exactly what she's thinking. Cleary captures the specific logic of how a kid's mind works with the same warmth and humor Park brings, and you'll recognize that feeling of doing something you can't take back.

by Katherine Applegate

This one's a gentle surprise—it's told from a gorilla's perspective, so the narrative voice is completely different, but it has that same emotional honesty about not fitting in and figuring out who you really are. Applegate writes with real tenderness about a character learning hard truths, which gives the humor in Junie B.'s world a deeper resonance when you see it reflected here.

by Kay Thompson

Published in 1955, this is where the DNA of Junie B. partly comes from—a precocious, talkative girl who narrates her own chaos with absolute confidence. Thompson's illustrations and Thompson's rhythmic, conversational prose create a character who's equally unapologetic about being loud and taking up space, but there's a sophistication to the writing that'll feel fresh even though it's nearly 70 years old.

by Paul Geraghty

Two kids who are basically professional troublemakers trying to pull off increasingly elaborate pranks—it's got that same "I did something and now what?" energy as Junie B., but with the added layer of two kids feeding each other's chaos. The humor is sharper and the schemes more complex, so it feels like a natural step up in complexity while keeping that same mischievous spirit.

by Annie Barrows

Two very different kids who become unlikely friends and immediately start causing problems together—it's got Junie B.'s impulsive energy but split between two characters with contrasting personalities. Blackall's illustrations are warm and expressive, and the friendship dynamic gives you that same feeling of rooting for kids who are trying their best but keep missing the mark in hilarious ways.