The Magic School Bus books
The Magic School Bus merchandise relates to the The Magic School Bus series for children.
Books (1986–2010)
The original Magic School Bus books are:
- The Magic School Bus at the Waterworks (ISBN 0-590-40360-5, 1986)
- Topic: the water cycle and the waterworks
- Ms Frizzle's class is going with her on the most boring field trip, to the waterworks. At least that is what they think until they discover how interesting things always happen on Ms Frizzle's trips. After going through a tunnel, all the children find themselves in scuba diving outfits. On the top of a bridge the bus rises up in the air and into a cloud. Once in the cloud, the class finds that water droplets are growing, and they are shrinking. The class rains and lands in the water purification system. Eventually it takes them back to Walkerville Elementary, where they come out of the faucet in the girls' bathroom. Later, they see the bus outside and wonder how it returned from the cloud.
- The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth (ISBN 0-590-40760-0, 1987)
- Topic: geology
- Ms Frizzle's class is starting a unit on geology and for homework every student has to find a rock, and bring it to school. The next day almost every child has an excuse, so Ms Frizzle decides to take the class on a field trip to collect rocks. The class starts digging until they, with the help of the magic bus, dig all the way through the center of Earth. They collect many rocks and learn about the different types. Phoebe Terese first appears in this book as the "new kid". Before the show was even in production, the Magic School Bus appeared on PBS, because this book was featured on Reading Rainbow.
- The Magic School Bus Inside the Human Body (ISBN 0-590-41427-5, 1989)
- Topic: the human body
- Ms Frizzle's class is going to the museum to see an exhibit on the human body. However they stop for lunch at a park and Arnold takes too long to eat. When Ms Frizzle tries to hit the horn to tell him to hurry, she "accidentally" pushes a strange little button on the dashboard and the class finds itself inside a human body, but they are unaware that it is Arnold's. They go through the digestive system and brain and out through the nose.
- The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System (ISBN 0-590-41429-1, 1990)
- Topic: the solar system
- Arnold's know-it-all cousin Janet, is coming on the field trip this time. They are going to the planetarium to see a show about the solar system, but it is closed for repairs. On the way back to school, they blast off and fly into outer space. They visit all the planets and learn about them, but in the asteroid belt, they lose Ms Frizzle and find themselves lost in space. The rocket bus featured in this book has become a symbol of the Magic School Bus series.
- The Magic School Bus On the Ocean Floor (ISBN 0-590-41431-3, 1992)
- Topic: the ocean
- Ms Frizzle's class is learning about the ocean. It is really hot and the children just want a break. They are thrilled when she says they will take a trip to the ocean. However, when she gets to the beach she starts to drive into the water and they realise that when Ms Frizzle says "ocean" she means "ocean". Believing the bus is in trouble, Lenny the Lifeguard decides to try to save the children and instead finds himself accompanying them on the field trip.
- The Magic School Bus In the Time of the Dinosaurs (ISBN 0-590-44689-4, 1994)
- Topic: dinosaurs
- The children are turning their classroom into Dinosaur Land for Parents' Night, as they are studying dinosaurs. Ms Frizzle receives a letter from an old high school friend who is now a paleontologist and she decides to take the class on a trip to the dig. When she discovers that they are missing the bones of some Maiasaurs, she turns the bus into a time machine to travel back to the age of dinosaurs to find the bones. The class sees dinosaurs and learns the name of the different periods of the era and other information. This is the first time Ms Frizzle's first name is mentioned, and it is the first appearance of Carlos Ramon and Keesha Franklin, although Keesha was first seen in The Magic School Bus: On the Ocean Floor.
- The Magic School Bus Inside a Hurricane (ISBN 0-590-44687-8, 1995)
- Topic: weather
- The class is going to the weather station to learn about weather. However, on the way there the bus turns into a hot air balloon. Eventually they find themselves inside a hurricane. Ms Frizzle's radio proves an annoyance to Arnold in this book, as it seems to know his name.
- The Magic School Bus Inside a Beehive (1996)
- Topic: bees
- The class is now learning about insects and Ms Frizzle is taking her class on a trip to meet a beekeeper, but they beat the beekeeper there. While they are waiting, Ms Frizzle accidentally pushes a small lever which turns the bus into a tiny beehive and the class (including Ms Frizzle) into bees. They explore the hive and learn about bees, but can they save the hive from a bear?
- The Magic School Bus and the Electric Field Trip (1998)
- Topic: electricity
- The children in Ms Frizzle's class were sure that there was nobody like her, but that was before they met her niece, Dottie Frizzle. Dottie accompanies the class on their field trip to the town power plant. There the bus turns into a dump truck, and pours the children into the plant. They shrink and travel through the Walkerville electric system.
- The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses (1999)
- Topic: the five senses
- The class is learning about the senses and they are going to sing a song for an important teacher meeting. However, Ms Frizzle's personality and clothes make the class forget. Ms Frizzle thinks the meeting is tomorrow, but it is really today. So Mr Wilde, the assistant principal, decides to catch her so he can tell her about the meeting. He decides to get in a bus that just happens to be the magic school bus. The class decides to accompany him. They cannot let him drive that bus, not all by himself. Mr Wilde accidentally shrinks the bus and soon he and the class find themselves on a trip exploring the senses. Mr Wilde soon becomes obsessed with driving the bus and forgets all about finding Ms Frizzle, but the class does not. Ms Frizzle's mother appears in this book.
- The Magic School Bus and the Science Fair Expedition (ISBN 0-590-10824-7; 2006)
- Topic: famous scientists in history
- The first MSB book since 1999, The Magic School Bus celebrated its 20th anniversary with this new book published on 1 August 2006. Ms. Frizzle and her class have to find projects to display at the Walkerville Science Fair, and fast. They decide to consult with famous scientists in history like Louis Pasteur, Marie Curie, Galileo Galilei, even Albert Einstein. All the original characters are in this book.
- The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge (ISBN 0-590-10826-3; 2010)
- Topic: climate change
- Ms. Frizzle takes the class on a flight in the bus over the arctic, showing them how the polar ice caps have melted since Ms. Frizzle's old copy of Our Wonderful World was published. The travel around the earth, observing the impacts of global warming and alternative energy sources. Returning back to their home town, Ms. Frizzle gives the class special goggles to observe the greenhouse-gas molecules in the air. When the students return to school, they discuss things people can do to save energy and reduce carbon emissions.
Sega Pico
- A Sega Pico title under the same name was released in 1995. The game is about going to various places (such as the time of dinosaurs, the solar system etc.)
Activity Centres
- The Magic School Bus: Whales and Dolphins: Activity Center (2001)
- The Magic School Bus Discovers Flight: Activity Center (2002)
- The Magic School Bus: Volcano: Activity Center (2003)
- The Magic School Bus Lands on Mars: Activity Center (2002)
- The Magic School Bus In Concert: Activity Center (2000)
External links