ALA Booklist (Fri Nov 01 00:00:00 CST 2002)

As the story begins, Junie B. struggles with the discomfort of a loose top tooth and the prospect of looking different once it is gone. When the tooth falls out, however, these issues pale beside the question of whether to put it under her pillow, since the story of the tooth fairy just doesn't make sense to her. After all, what does the tooth fairy do with all those teeth? Armed with a scientist's drive to know the truth and a six-year-old's knowledge base and logic, Junie B. finds her own answer to the question. Occasionally the humor seems aimed at adults, but children just a little older than Junie B. will definitely find this beginning chapter book amusing and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny. With its vivid portrayal of a first-grade classroom and a child's point of view, this is a welcome addition to a popular series. The illustrations were not available for preview.

Horn Book (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 2003)

Now in first grade, the hyper-exuberant, baby-talking Junie B. Jones is about to lose her front tooth. Her overblown panic about what that suspicious Tooth Fairy will do with it seems manufactured, and the resolution is pat and artificial. Junie B.'s malapropisms have long been stale, and many of the winks over her head will elude her fans as well. Brunkus's comical drawings suit the energetic text.

Kirkus Reviews

"Good news, people!" Junie B. has lost her first tooth and she is the first person in Room One to reach this milestone. Is Junie B. excited? Well, yes and no. First, she is excited about sharing the news, and the bloodstained spit cup, with her classmates. But, she is concerned that she will end up like Sheldon's toothless Uncle Lou. Then, she imagines that she will look so different that no one at school will recognize her. And there is the little matter of the Tooth Fairy. See, Junie B. knows "stuff about the fairy, that's why." The "truth" is perfectly clear to her and seems so logical coming out of her mouth: the Tooth Fairy is really a Tooth Witch who collects teeth to EAT. Her mother challenges Junie B.'s emphatic explanation of the tiny cheek-pinching Tooth Witch flying on her toothbrush. But Junie B. has no patience for her mother's dense thinking. "I rolled my eyes way up to the ceiling. 'Cause sometimes I have to explain everything to that woman." Sassy and perceptive Junie B. is growing up, and Park's first-person narrative improves as her character ages. Junie B. has been listening to adults and loves to add grown-up words and colloquialisms to her speech. The reader is treated to words like "fascinating, reaction, pleasure, occasional, festivities and that's another can of worms." Junie B.'s swarms of young fans will continue to delight in her unique take on the world and her exasperation with the well-meaning adults in her life. A hilarious, first-rate read-aloud for the first-grade classroom. (Fiction. 7-10)

School Library Journal

Gr 1-4-In this 20th book about Junie B., Parks hits on the universal theme of losing one's first tooth. As the first person in her class to have this experience, Junie B. worries that she'll look funny, but her teacher assures her that it is a momentous event in her life, and that she'll look more grown up when the new one comes in. This, of course, delights the child. However, she is convinced that the tooth fairy is really a witch. After all, what would a tooth fairy do with all of those teeth? This is an ideal read-aloud to first graders and a choice that they will enjoy reading independently as they move into chapter books. Humorous black-and-white drawings show Junie B. as she interacts with her classmates and family.-Jean Lowery, Bishop Woods Elementary School, New Haven, CT Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.