Let’s go back in time to move-in day freshman year, the nervous jitters you had and pure excitement of finally being on your own. Let’s take it back even further to your freshman year of high school when you had braces and glasses and carried every single one of your books in your book bag instead of using your locker.

Now, let’s go all the way back to elementary school. Do you remember the good old days before we had responsibilities, when class consisted of nap time and recess? I bet that’s when you heard the famous lines, “Hi, my name is Junie B. Jones. The B. stands for Beatrice, except I don’t like Beatrice. I like B. and that’s all.” This is where it all began. I’m pretty sure every '90s kid has read this line, whether on their own or in the classroom.

Junie B. Jones was the epitome of sass, but she also dealt with the everyday struggles of any 6-year-old: bullies, not getting what she wanted, and even stealing. Junie B. was scared to ride the bus for the first time in "Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus." She understood that brothers can be kind of great in "Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business." She was suspicious about the tooth fairy in "Junie B., First Grader: Toothless Wonder." Junie B. even understood the confusion of Valentine’s Day when you get a secret admirer.

Barbara Park’s books were read across the nation by teachers and children alike. Park had many children eager to read, myself included. Without Junie B. Jones, I wouldn’t know about Augustus Waters from "The Fault in Our Stars," I wouldn’t have wanted to take a trip across the country to find Margo in "Paper Towns," and I wouldn’t have been obsessed with the "Twilight Saga" and "The Host" in my awkward early teen years when I thought Stephanie Meyer was the best author on the planet.

Not only did Junie B. Jones make me laugh and get me to read, she taught me about imagination, that I should follow the rules, that it’s OK to be scared sometimes, and to always be myself. So thank you, Barbara Park, for creating such a vibrant and inspirational character. Junie B. Jones was a part of so many children’s lives. Thank you for sharing her with us, for giving your time and energy to children for decades.

Rest in peace, Barbara Park (April 21, 1947 – November 15, 2013).