In this narrated YouTube video, Isaac Letchford reads aloud the first two chapters of the children’s book Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus. The story follows six‑year‑old Junie B. as she prepares for her first day of kindergarten. Chapter 1 introduces Junie’s quirky personality, her new shoes, and her meeting with Mrs. (her teacher) and her mother, who explain that she will be riding a yellow school bus driven by Mr. Woo. Junie is terrified of the bus, repeatedly asking where it’s going and refusing to hop on. Chapter 2 shows Junie’s lingering anxiety the night before school, her uneasy morning routine, and the moment she finally boards the bus after her mother’s encouragement. The narration is lively, child‑like, and filled with Junie’s repetitive “guess what?” interjections, conveying both her excitement and her fear. The video serves as an engaging read‑aloud for young listeners, highlighting themes of school transition, childhood anxiety, and the comforting role of parents.
Chapters
Storytime with Isaac Letchford. Yay! G'day, I am reading Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus. Chapter 1, Meeting Miss. My name is Junie B. Jones. The B stands for Beatrice, except I don't like Beatrice. I just like B and that's all. I'm almost 6 years old. Almost 6 is when you get to go to kindergarten. Kindergarten is where you go to meet new friends and not watch TV. My kindergarten is the afternoon kind. Today was my first day of school. I'd been to my room before, though. Last week, Mother took me there to meet my teacher. It was called Meet the Teacher Day. My teacher was decorating the bulletin board with letters of the alphabet. I already know all those letters, I said. I can sing them, except I don't feel like it right now. My teacher shook my hand, only our hands didn't fit together that good. Her name was Mrs.— I can't remember the rest of it. Mrs. and I looked cute. I know it, I said. That's because I have on my new shoes. I held my foot way high in the air. See how shiny they are? Before I put them on, I licked them. And guess what else? I said. This is my bestest hat. Grandpa Miller bought it for me. And see the devil horns sticking out the sides? Mrs. laughed. Except, I don't know why, devil horns are supposed to be scary. Then we walked around the room and she showed me where stuff was. Like the easels where we get to paint, and the shelves where the books are, and the tables where we sit and don't watch TV. One of the tables on the— in the front of the room Had a red chair. I would like to sit here, I think, I told her. But Missus said, we'll have to wait and see, Junie. Bee! I said. Call me Junie Bee! I hollered the bee part real loud so she wouldn't forget it. People are always forgetting my bee! Mother rolled her eyes and looked at the ceiling. I looked up there too, but I didn't see anything. Are you gonna ride the bus, Jimmy B? Mrs. asked me. I made my shoulders go up and down. I don't know. Where's it going to? My mother nodded her head and said, yes, she'll be riding the bus. That made me feel scary inside, 'cause I never ride on a bus Yeah, only where's it going to? I asked again. Mrs. sat on her desk, and then she and my mother talked more about the bus. I tapped on Mrs. Guess what? I still don't know where it's going to. Mrs. smiled and said that the bus driver's name was Mr. Woo. Mr. Woo? said Mother. That's an easy name for Jeanie B to remember. I covered my ears and stamped my foot. Yeah, but only where's the stupid smelly bus going to? Mother and Mrs. frowned. Frowny is when your eyebrows go look grumpy. Watch yourself, Missy, said Mother. Missy is my name when I'm in trouble. I looked down on my shoes. They didn't look as shiny as they did before. Just then another mother and a boy came in. And Mrs. went off to talk to them instead of me. I don't know why though. The boy was hiding behind his mother and acting very babyish. I can beat that boy up, I think. After that, my mother sat me down and explained about the bus. She said it's yellow and it's called a school bus and it stops at the end of my street. Then I get on it and sit down And it takes me to school, and then your teacher will meet you in the parking lot, said Mother. Okay, Junie B. Won't it be fun? I nodded the words yes, but inside my head I said the word no. Chapter 2, Feeling Squeezy. I stayed scared about the bus for a whole week, and last night when my mother tucked me into bed, I still felt sickish about it. Guess what? I said. I don't think I want to ride that school bus to kindergarten tomorrow. Then my mother rumpled my hair. Oh, sure you do, she said. Oh, sure I'm not, I said back. My mother kissed me and said, it'll be fun. You'll see. Just don't worry. I did, though. I worried very much. And I didn't sleep so good either. And this morning, I felt very droopy when I got up, and my stomach was squeezy, and I couldn't eat my cereal. And so I watched TV until my mother said it was time to get ready to go. Then I put on my skirt that looks like velvet and my new fuzzy pink sweater, and I ate half a tuna sandwich for lunch. After that, Mother and I walked to the corner to wait for the school bus. And guess what? There was another mother and a little girl there too! A little girl had curly black hair, which is my favourite kind of head. I didn't say hello to her though, 'cause she was from a different street, that's why. Then finally a big yellow bus came around the corner. And the brakes screeched very loud. And I had to cover my ears. Then the door opened and the bus driver said, Hi, I'm Mr. Woo. Hop on. Except I didn't hop on because my legs didn't want to. I don't want to go to— I don't want to ride this bus to kindergarten. I told my mother again. I told Mother again. Then she gave me a little push. Go on, Junie B, she said. Mr. Woo is waiting for you. Be a good girl and get on. I looked out the windows. The little girl with the curly black hair was already in the bus. She looked very big sitting up there and kind of happy. Look how big that little girl is acting, Junie B, said Mother. Why don't you sit right next to her? It'll be fun, I promise. And so I got on the bus, and guess what? It wasn't fun.
