Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus

by Beverly Cleary

Ramona has that same spirited, unfiltered voice as Junie B., and Cleary captures the specific anxiety of being a kindergartener who doesn't quite understand why adults are upset with her—she's just being herself. You'll recognize that blend of genuine fear and hilarious misunderstandings that makes Junie B. so endearing.

by Katherine Applegate

This one's a gentle surprise—it's got the same emotional honesty about fear and belonging that Junie B. has, but told from an unexpected perspective. Applegate writes about feeling trapped and scared in a way that will resonate with you, but through a completely different lens that might surprise you.

by Kay Thompson

Published in 1955, this is where Junie B.'s chaotic energy ancestor lives. Thompson's Eloise is a six-year-old tornado of a girl narrating her own story with the same confident, slightly bewildering logic that makes Junie B. so funny—she's doing exactly what makes sense to her, and the adults are the ones who are confused.

by Kate DiCamillo

Here's where I'm taking a chance: this is a fairy tale with real darkness and fear woven through it, but DiCamillo writes about being afraid and small in a way that connects directly to what Junie B. experiences on that bus. The fear is taken seriously, even as the story has magic and adventure.

by Annie Barrows

Blackall captures that specific second-grade friendship dynamic where two kids create their own logic and rules, much like how Junie B. navigates her world. The humor comes from how seriously the girls take their own problems, and there's real warmth underneath the chaos—you'll feel like you're part of their friendship.