Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus

When Junie B. hides in the supply closet to avoid riding the bus, she tells herself a story called “The Little Hiding Girl” inside her head. This story gives her some emotional distance from the challenging situation in which she’s placed herself—she knows that she cannot “come out for a very, very long time” if she wants to be a successful hider and avoid the bus, but she’s “all bended up” and uncomfortable (38). This story is a motif that supports The Anxiety Created by New Rules and Experiences.

The story addresses her physical discomfort, as the hiding girl’s “head [i]s very tight. And her brain [i]s squishing out” (39). Junie B.’s anxiety about the bus is so significant that she would rather endure this discomfort than face its scariness. Her story also addresses her fear of the bus, which she characterizes as “a smelly yellow monster [that is out to] get her” that contains the “meanies with chocolate milk” whom Lucille mentioned (39). The monstrous bus and “meanies” contribute to Junie B.’s anxieties about new experiences, and her creation of a story is her attempt to process and mitigate those anxieties. She wants to feel in control of herself, and choosing to characterize herself as “The Little Hiding Girl” demonstrates this desire.