Since her 1992 debut in Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus, Barbara Park’s sassy, outspoken, and ageless heroine has entertained readers around the world – and plenty of them. A staple of public, school, and home libraries, the series has been translated into more than a dozen languages and has sold more than 60 million copies worldwide. In May, Random House Books for Young Readers will reissue all of Junie B.’s 28 adventures, as well as her interactive journal, with covers featuring an updated look and a new title font, along with illustrator Denise Brunkus’s iconic portraits of the title character.
Cathy Goldsmith, v-p and associate publishing director of Random House/Golden Books Young Readers Group, explained that this marks the third design incarnation for the Junie B. Jones covers, which initially sported the Stepping Stone Books banner logo, and later – she estimated it was in the mid-1990s – were redesigned to feature a multi-colored checkered border. The art director, who has worked at Random House since 1977, noted that she and her colleagues decided several years ago that the look of the books could use refreshing.
“The marketplace has changed a lot over the years since Junie was introduced,” said Goldsmith, who credited executive art director Tracy Tyler for her input into the series’ rebranding effort. “Junie was the predominant character in chapter books for a long time, and since then of course many new series have come along, and design tastes have changed. We knew we wanted to feature white in the new covers, create clean, simplified backgrounds, and play a bit with the images of Junie B. And add an element of fun.”
Some of the fun comes in the shape of embossed, multi-hued polka dots (or, in Junie B. speak, “polka dotties,” the hallmark pattern of her hair bows), which embellish the new cover logo. This adornment was the suggestion of Park, who died in 2013, after the cover redesign was underway. “I am happy that Barbara was on board with the fact that we were making these changes, but am so sorry that she didn’t live to see the final result,” Goldsmith said. “That was disappointing to everyone, since we all know that she would have liked the look of the new covers.”
Retaining the Essence of Junie B.
Fans will be happy to know that one constant in the look of the series is Junie herself. Though her cover image may be tweaked in size and angle, it will not be significantly changed from Brunkus’s original rendition. “We’ve thought from the start that Denise did a wonderful job capturing the spark and personality of this character,” said Goldsmith, who approached only Brunkus when deciding on an illustrator for the series more than two decades ago.
“Of course those were totally different times, and today I’d be showing different in-house groups samples of 20 illustrators’ work,” she said. “But Denise’s samples were the only ones I presented. I’d had one of her postcards on my bulletin board for years, and I’d always hoped to find something that we could work on together. Her characters have real attitude – and attitude is what Junie is all about. I am thrilled that we’re both still working on this series together today.”
Random House’s promotional push for the rebranded series will also have a new thrust. Formerly called the Junie B. Jones Stupid Smelly Bus Tour (a nod to Junie’s debut book), this year’s annual road trip, featuring look-alikes of the heroine and her bus driver Mr. Woo, has a new moniker: the Laugh Yourself Silly with Junie B. Jones School Tour. The bus, which features an updated design, will make 20 stops across the Northeast from May 7–22. The publisher is also supporting the series’ rebranding with a marketing campaign that includes national advertising, Facebook promotion, and an updated website.
Giving Junie B. a cover makeover involved walking a fine line, said Goldsmith, who noted that the challenge was to refresh but not change the look of the heroine – and her books. “We have to consider girls – and boys, since we never want to forget that part of Junie’s audience – who already know her, but we also want to find new readers without losing the old,” she said. “The thing about children’s books is that there is always a new group of seven-year-olds coming along – so we have to win over new readers year after year.”
As creator of the enduring face of Junie B. Jones, Brunkus expressed confidence that the series’ rejuvenated cover design serves the spunky gal well. “Junie B.’s new look captures her spirit perfectly,” she said. “She is timeless, and readers will want to continue to be in her world.”
