Free Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook by Barbara Park Page A

on Lucille with my furry mittens.
    “Hello. How are you today? I have fur hands. See them, Lucille? See my hands of fur?”
    I flew them in the air.
    “This is what fur hands look like when they’re flying in the air,” I said.
    I waved hello.
    “This is what fur hands look like when they’re waving hello,” I said.
    Lucille did a frown.
    “You’re being annoying,” she said.
    That’s how come I turned around. And I smiled at a boy named William.

    “I have fur hands, William. See them? See my fur hands?”
    I tapped on his head.
    “This is what fur hands look like when they’re tapping you on your head,” I said.
    Just then, I got up from my chair. And I skipped to my boyfriend named Ricardo.
    I tickled him under the chin with my softy hands of fur.
    “This is what fur hands look like when they’re tickling you under your chin,” I said.
    Then I grinned and grinned. ’Cause that boy brings out the best in me. That’s why.
    Pretty soon, Mrs. saw me out of my seat.
    She held my hand and marched me back to my table.
    “This is how fur hands look when they’re marching to my table,” I said.
    Mrs. plopped me in my chair.
    Then she pulled off my fur hands. And she put them on her desk.
    I did a sad sigh.
    “That is how fur hands look when they’re no longer in my possession,” I whispered to just myself.
    After that, I put my head on my desk.
    And covered up with my arms.
    And I didn’t come out for a real long time.

3 / Being Brownie
    Mrs. said I could have my mittens back at recess.
    I stared and stared at the clock. Then I tapped my fingers on my table. And I did loud breaths.
    Lucille tattletaled on me.
    “Junie B. keeps tapping her fingers and making loud breaths! And I can’t even concentrate on my work!” she grouched.
    Mrs. came to my table.
    “Hello. How are you today?” I said kindof nervous. “I am fine. Except I don’t actually have my mittens.”
    She tapped her foot real fast.
    That was not a good sign, I think.
    Only guess what? Just then, the bell rang for recess!
    “OH BOY!” I yelled. “OH BOY! OH BOY! ’CAUSE NOW I CAN HAVE MY MITTENS BACK! RIGHT, MRS.? RIGHT? RIGHT?”
    I zoomed to her desk and put them on my hands.
    Then I rubbed those softy things all over my cheeks.
    “It’s good to be with you again,” I whispered into their fur.
    After that, I put on my attractive winter jacket. And I skipped outside with my friends.
    Me and tattletale Lucille and that Grace play horses together at recess.
    I am Brownie. Lucille is Blackie. And that Grace is Yellowie.
    “I’M YELLOWIE!” shouted that Grace.
    “I’M BLACKIE!” shouted Lucille.
    “I’M BROWNIE!” I shouted.
    Only just then, I looked at my mittens.
    I did a frown.
    ’Cause there was a little bit of a problem here, I think.
    “Yeah, only how can I even be Brownie? ’Cause my horse paws are black. And so I am two different colors, apparently.”
    Lucille and that Grace did frowns, too.
    “Hmm,” said that Grace.
    “Hmm,” said Lucille.
    “Hmm,” I said.
    Just then, that Grace clapped her handstogether very excited. “
I
know, Junie B.! Today you and Lucille can
trade!
Today
Lucille
can be Brownie! And
you
can be Blackie! And so that way your horse paws will be the right color!”
    Me and Lucille looked and looked at that girl. ’Cause what kind of crazy idea was that?
    I did a huffy breath.
    “Yeah, only how can I even be
Blackie
when I am already
Brownie
, Grace?” I said. “I have been Brownie for my whole entire career. You can’t just go
changing
, you know.”
    “Yeah, Grace. You can’t just go
changing,”
said Lucille.
    That Grace looked embarrassed at herself. “Oh yeah… What was I thinking?” she said very mumbling.
    After that, all of us sat down in the grass. And we tapped on our chins.
    We thinked and thinked and thinked.
    Then—all of a sudden—my whole face lighted up.
    “Hey! I thought of it! I thought of it! I know ’zactly what to do!” I shouted.
    I jumped