And so then I raised my hand way high in the air again.

Because guess what? My Show and Tell was way better than two dead crickets!

⁵/_{Monkey Business}

Mrs. called my name.

“Junie B.? Would you like to go next?” she asked.

Then 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.

“Junie B. Jones has a new little brother, everyone!” she said. “Isn’t that wonderful?”

Then all of Room Nine clapped, too.

“Yes, only you haven’t even heard the bestest 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 look on her face. And she squinted her eyes very tiny. And 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 mean Jim jumped right up from his desk. And he hollered, “Liar, liar, pants on fire!”

“No they are not on fire, you big fat Jim!” I said back. “I do too have a monkey brother! You can ask my grandma Miller if you don’t believe me!”

Mrs. raised her eyebrows way high 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 sides. But I’m going to teach him not to bite or kill people.”

Then this boy named Ricardo—who has cute freckles on his face—said, “Monkeys are cool,” to me.

“I know they are cool, Ricardo,” I said. “And guess what else? 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 Eight 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 talk about this monkey business later.”

And so that made me giggle. Because monkey business is a funny word, I think.

Then I waved good-bye to my new boyfriend, Ricardo.

And I skipped back to my seat.

⁶/_{Bestest Friends}

Recess is my best subject. I learned it my first week at school.

Recess is when you go outside. And you run off your steam.