In this reading‑aloud segment of Junie B. Jones & the Stupid Smelly Bus (Chapter 5, “Principal”), the narrator Junie B. recounts a kindergarten field‑trip around her school led by Mrs. (her teacher). Paired with her buddy Lucille, Junie visits the media center (library), cafeteria, nurse’s office, main office where the Principal greets them, the water fountain, and the bathrooms, describing each location with vivid, child‑like sensory details and humor. Throughout the tour she interacts with classmates—Jim, a boy she dislikes, and William, a boy she wants to beat up—while Lucille provides comic relief. Junie’s excitement about books, her disdain for the “stupid smelly” school bus, and her anticipation of the bus ride home (including the fear of chocolate milk being poured on her head) are highlighted. The narrative ends with the bell ringing, students lining up for the bus, and Junie being the last to leave, setting up the next scene.
Chapters
After that, Mrs. took our class on a walk around the school. Everyone had to find a buddy to walk with. My buddy was Lucille. We held hands. The boy I can beat up was right in front of us. His buddy was that Jim. I hate that Jim. The first place we walked to is called the media center. My mother calls it a library. It's where the books are. And guess what? Books are my very favorite thing in the whole world. Hey, there's a jillion of them in here. Yeah! I hollered, feeling very excited. I think I love this place! The librarian bent down to me. She said to use my quiet voice. Yeah, only guess what? Right now I just like the kind of book with pictures, but Mother says that when I get big, I'm gonna like the kind with just words and also stewed tomatoes. That boy I can beat up said, Shh! I made a fist at him. Then he turned around. After that, we went to the cafeteria. The cafeteria is where the kids eat lunch, except not when you're in kindergarten. Um, I said, it smells yummy in here, just like spaghetti and meatballs. Then that jib turned around and held his nose. Pee-yew! I smell you! he said. Lucille laughed very hard, so I stopped holding her hand. The next place we went to was the nurse's office. It's very cute in that place. There are 2 little beds where you get to lie down and 2 little blankets that are the color of plaid. Our nurse doesn't look like a nurse. She doesn't wear white clothes and white shoes. Our nurse is just a regular color. Lucille raised her hand. My brother said that last year he came here and You let him take off his shoes, and he got a drink of water in just his socks. That Jim turned around again. Pee-yew! I smell your feet! he said to Lucille. This time Lucille stuck out her tongue at him. After that, we held hands again. Chapter 5, Principal. After we left the nurse's office, we went to the main office. That's— that's where the boss of the school lives. His name is Principal. Principal is a baldy. He talked to us. Then Lucille raised his hand. My brother said that last year he had to come down here and you yelled at him, and now he's not allowed to beat up kids at recess anymore. The principal kind of laughed. Then he held the door for us to leave. After that, we walked to the water fountain and Mrs. let us get a drink. I didn't get a long one though, 'cause kids kept tapping on me. Hurry up, girl! they said. Yeah, only guess what? That's not even my name! I told them. Her name is Junie Bumblebee. But then she laughed, but I didn't think it was a very funny joke. After that, Mrs. showed us where the bathrooms were. There's 2 kinds of bathrooms in our school, a boys' kind and a girls' kind. I can't go into the boys', though. 'Cause no girls allowed, that's why. I tried to peek my head in there, but Missus snapped her fingers at me. Only the boy you got to go into the bathroom was the boy I can get beat up. He was jiggling around very much. Then he started running all over the place, and he was holding the front of his pants. Williams! Williams! said Missus. Are you having an emergency? Then William yelled, Noose! And he ran right in there. The rest of us walked back to our room. I touched Lucille's fingernails. She said that her fingernail polish is named Very Very Berry. I would like to have my fingernails red too, I said, but I'm only allowed to have the kind of polish that makes them look shiny. Its name is Clea. Clea is the color of spit. I hate Clea, said Lucille. Me too. I told her. And I also hate yellow, which is the color of the stupid smelly school bus. Lucille nodded her head. My brother said when you ride home on the bus, kids pour chocolate milk on your head. Then all of a sudden my stomach felt very squeezy again. 'Cause I had to ride the bus home, that's why. Why did you have to tell me that for, Lucille? I said, kind of grouchy. After we got back to Room 9, we did some more work. It was a game to help us learn each other's names. I learned Lucille's name and also a girl named Charlotte and another girl named Grace. Then I learned a boy named Ham, which we could eat at Grandma Miller's. Pretty soon, Mrs. clapped her loud hands together. Okay everyone, gather up your things. It's almost time for the bell. Then I heard a noise in the parking lot. It was screechy brakes. And so I looked out the window and I saw the school bus. It was coming to get me. Oh no! I said it kind of loud. Now I'm gonna get chocolate milk poured on my head. Then I chewed on my fingers. Get in line, get in line, said Mrs. When we get outside, I want all of my bus students to come with me. The rest of you must go to the crossing guard. Everyone was lining up. I was the very last one. Then the bell rang and Mrs. marched out the door. Then everyone else marched out too. Except guess what? I didn't.
