Junie B. announces her newborn brother is a real baby monkey. Her classmates don't believe her, Jim chants "liar, liar, pants on fire," and she spins wild details about the monkey's appearance and bedroom. The teacher tells her to sit down and promises to talk about this "monkey business" later.
Chapters
Chapter 5, Monkey Business. Mrs. called me by my name. Chirpy, would you like to go next? she asked. Then I jumped up. I jumped right up and I ran speedy fast to the front of the room. Guess what? I said very excited. Last night my mother had a baby and it's the boy kind! Mrs. clapped her hands. Judy B. Jones has a new little brother, everyone! she said. Isn't that wonderful? Then all of Room 9 clapped too. Yes, only you haven't heard the part yet, I said very loud. Because guess what else? He's a monkey! That's what else. My new brother is a real, alive, Baby monkey! Mrs. got a funny face on her— got a funny look on her face, and she squinted her eyes very tiny. So maybe she didn't hear me or something, I think. I said, I've got a monkey brother! I shouted real louder. Then that Jim jumped right up from his desk and he hollered, Liar, liar, pants on fire! No, they're not on fire, you big fat Jim! I said back, I do too have a monkey brother. You can ask my Grandma Milla if you don't believe me. Mrs. raised her eyebrows way higher on her head. Your grandmother told you that your brother is a monkey? She asked me. Yes, I said. She told me he has long fingers and long toes and lots of black fur all over himself. After that, Mrs. kept on looking and looking at me. Then she said it was time for me to sit down. Yeah, only I'm not done telling the children about my monkey brother yet, I explained. 'Cause guess what else? His wallpaper has pictures of his jungle friends on it, and his bed has bars on the side, but I'm gonna teach him not to bite or kill people. Then this boy Ricardo, who has cute freckles on his face, said, Monkeys are cool. I know they're cool, Ricardo, I said. And guess what? Maybe I can bring him to school on Pet Day. Then Ricardo smiled at me. And so he might be my boyfriend, I think, except for there's a boy in Room 8 who already loves me. Just then Mrs. stood up and pointed at me. That's enough, Junie B! she said. I want you to sit down now. You and I will have a talk about this monkey business later. And so that made me giggle because monkey business is a funny word, I think. Then I waved goodbye to my new boyfriend Ricardo, and I skipped back to my seat.
