Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth Read Free Page B

down.
    Ricardo went next.
    He was wearing a round yellow hat. It was the kind of hat you can bang on.
    “This is called a hard hat,” he said. “You have to wear it when you’re building tall buildings. Or else somebody might drop a hammer from way up high. And it could hit you on the head and kill you.”
    Mrs. smiled. “So you’re interested in construction, right, Ricardo?” she asked.
    But Ricardo just kept on talking about other stuff that could fall on your head and kill you. Like a paint can. And an electric drill. And a lunchbox.
    Then Mrs. said, “Sit down,” to him, too.
    That’s when William raised his hand. Only he was being very bashful. And he wouldn’t go to the front of the room.
    “You don’t have to be nervous, William,” said Mrs. “Just tell us what you want to be when you grow up.”
    William covered his face with his hands.
    “Super William,” he said very quiet.
    Then he got out of his seat. And he jumped way high in the air. Only his cape got tangled up in his chair. And he crashed into the table.
    After that, Super William got very sniffling. And Mrs. said we would get back to him later.
    Then lots of other kids talked about their jobs.
    Like a boy named Clifton is going to be a rich and famous astronaut.
    And a girl named Lily is going to be a rich and famous movie star. And also she wants to direct.
    And a boy named Ham is going to be a rich and famous boss of a big company. Andhe taught us how to say the word
you’re fired
.
    And here’s the bestest one of all! ’Cause a boy named Jamal Hall is going to be the rich and famous president of the whole United States!
    “Cool!” said Ricardo.
    Then the other boys said, “Cool,” too.
    I did a secret smile. Yeah, only not as cool as my job, I thought to just myself.
    Then I raised my hand very polite. And Mrs. called my name.
    “OH, BOY!” I shouted. “OH, BOY! OH, BOY! ’CAUSE MINE IS EVEN BETTER THAN PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!”
    I zoomed speedy quick to the front of the room.
    Then my excitement wouldn’t stay inside of me anymore.
    “A JANITOR! I’M GOING TO BE A JANITOR!” I hollered out.
    After that, I jingled my jangly keys! And I waved my paintbrush in the air! And I clapped and clapped!
    Only too bad for me.
    ’Cause nobody clapped back.
    And here’s something even worser.
    Room Nine started laughing very much. And it was the mean kind.
    “SHE WANTS TO BE A JANITOR!” they yelled.
    Then they pointed at my brown pants.
    And they called me the name of stupid.
    And I didn’t know what to do. ’Cause I felt very crumbling inside.

    And so I just kept on standing there and standing there.
    And my eyes got a little bit of wet in them. And my nose started running very much.
    That’s how come I covered my face up.
    “They’re not having courtesy for me,” I said real soft.
    Only just then Mrs. clapped her angry hands together. And she scolded Room Nine a real lot.
    “Junie B. is right,” she said. “Being a janitor is a very important job. You have to be hardworking and reliable and very, very trustworthy.”
    I peeked through my fingers at her.
    “Yeah, and don’t forget the part where you have to save people from danger,” I said.
    Then that Jim I hate laughed right out loud. “Janitors don’t save people from danger,you goonie bird!” he said.
    I stamped my foot at him. “Yes, they do! They do too! Because one time I was eating a dangerous Life Saver. And Janitor made me spit it out! And also he brought his flashlight to Room Nine. And he saved William from the dangerous dental floss!”
    Then I held up my jingling keys.
    “And see these things? Keys are what Janitor unlocks the bathroom door with. Or else we couldn’t even go to the toilet!”
    Then I showed him my paintbrush.
    “And Janitor paints litter cans, too,” I said. “And painting is the funnest thing I love!”
    That Jim did a mean smile. “Yeah, well, too bad for you, but you’re a girl. And janitors have to be boys. So