My first exposure to the Magic School Bus was when Amanda found it on TV as a preschooler. She enjoyed the show, and I remember her spouting back some of the facts that she learned to me. The show (based on the books) might be long-gone, but new books are still being published.
The Magic School Bus series is great, because it encourages kids to be curious, and empowers them to not only learn more, but to do more.
The Magic School Bus And The Climate Challenge is a perfect example of this concept.
This latest adventure begins when the children are looking at one of Ms. Frizzle’s old Geography books, and notice that the pictures of the Arctic in her old book are different from the way the Arctic looks now. And so of course, “The Friz” herds them onto the Magic School Bus and they are headed on one of those special field trips, this time to the Arctic Sea.
This book was full of interesting facts, for example about how Carbon Dioxide gets trapped in the atmosphere, which acts like a “warming blanket.”
When I asked my 5 ½ year old son if he learned anything from the book, he said, “Yes. I learned that electric stuff makes CO2.” As I’m transcribing his quote, he says, “Also write that CO2 are little dots. Dots of fire.”
So, he got the basic teaching, but maybe he’ll have to wait a couple of years to understand the whole molecule/atom bit. I’m good with that, especially since the book is recommended for ages 7 to 12.
After the students return, they assess how their town is doing. Suggestions go from an institutional/town level, to homes, to small changes that even kids can make, such as writing on the back of their papers so that they use less (or as the wise-cracking Ralphie volunteers — not doing his homework at all!).
Global warming has become a political issue, and though I believe that we are making some choices as a society that are not responsible, I wonder about some of the rhetoric. This book stuck to the facts and our responsibility without crossing that line that tends to irritate me.
This series is great for non-fiction-loving kids, and with the small-sized bites of text, and busy pages with speech bubbles and sidebars,
I did an interview with the illustrator Bruce Degen about how Magic School Bus books come together and his thoughts on how his local town is doing with climate change. Check it out.
You can also join in a live webcast with Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen on April 20. Find out all the details and sign up HERE.
Find out more about the book at the Scholastic page.
We have a great prize package to offer up:
- Three people (U.S. addresses) will win a copy of The Magic School Bus And The Climate Challenge.
- In addition, one grand prize winner will also receive the Paper Recycling Center.
This giveaway will be open for two weeks. We will announce the winners on April 14.
- The Lost Art of True Beauty: Page Turner (Heather), hopeinbrazil, and Erika
- Scribble and Doodle: Maja Meza
Check out our current giveaways. Subscribe to our feed. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter.
Jennifer Donovan is not a big fan of field trips, and has as of yet avoiding chaperoning one. She’d rather read about them in books such as these. Read about other parenting choices she makes at her blog Snapshot.
Jen Thomas says
sign me up! my kids would love to have me win this
Heather says
We really like Magic School Bus around here, so we’d be thrilled to add this to our library. Thank you!
Michele Anne says
sign me up….my nieces and nephews would like this
Michael Capp says
My daughter would love this!
debp says
The magic school bus is a wonderful series.
debp
[email protected]
Amber G says
I would definitely love to win – my kids love Magic School Bus and learn so much from it too. We even have the CD-Roms!
DanaB says
We LOVED the Magic School Bus, both the books and the tv shows back when my teenagers were wee. I award the Magic School Bus and Ms. Frizzle with a gold star for their role in fueling my kids’ love of science and learning!
I’ll leave the contest entries to those with younger kiddos, I just had to comment! 🙂
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Jaclyn Reynolds says
New subscriber and following you on twitter!!
Nicole C. says
My daughter loves The Magic School Bus!
Melissa P. says
We love the Magic School Bus. My son really likes science so these adventures are very interesting to him.
Melissa P. says
I’m a feed subscriber
melissap21702 {at} aol {dot} com
Melissa P. says
I follow on Twitter (mel4him)
melissap21702 {at} aol {dot} com
rita says
I’d love for my 5yr.old grandson to learn about CO2s also 🙂
Tracy says
would love to read this new magic schoolbus series!
Linda Kish says
Magic School Bus books are so cool! Count me in.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
Linda Kish says
subscriber
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
Benita G. says
Please count me in. Thank you.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
george ashmore says
My wife is a science teacher and my 9 yo daughter needs to read this book
Carol M says
I’d love to give this book to my grandchildren! Thank you!
susan varney says
i would like to watch this with my grandson [email protected]
Mellissa C says
My son would love this!
Mellissa C says
follow on twitter (Missybeez80)
shannon Baas says
fun book.
Kristi C says
My son loves to watch The Magic School Bus.
diane Westerbeek says
Always looking for books to share with 8 grandchildren
marge mckoen says
my grandkids would love the magic bus
Nancy says
We love Magic School Bus! And the show was still airing last year on PBS but it doesn’t seem to be on now. Too bad, my kids loved it.
Martha C says
Love these books! We show the videos in our fourth grade science class as well as learn how Joanna Cole writes her books in Reading! I just got the poster at the Border’s educator’s weekend. It would be so great if I won this book! Pick me, pick me!
Betsy says
Sounds like a good book!
Monique Rizzo says
My daughter is a big fan of Magic Schoolbus. Especially since my hubby is a School Bus driver.
Thanks for the chance.
[email protected]
melissa n says
Great giveaway! i love the magic schoolbus books!
Lori says
My first grader loves the Magic School Bus series – so this sounds like a great fit for him!
Theresa Dell says
My nephew would love this one.
Annette W says
The Magic School Bus is always a hit!
Kerrie Mayans says
My kids love the magic school bus books.
Karen Gonyea says
My son would LOVE this 🙂
Karen says
My children would love this book! The already own most of the Magic School Bus books and Ms. Frizzle is referenced quite a lot in our household. As she says, “take chances! Get messy! Make mistakes!” My son says that a lot when he’s in the middle of a craft project or ostensible “experiment.”
Janel C says
I’d love to win! Sign me up!
Barb says
My kids LOOOOOOOVE Magic School bus!!!
Vicki Wurgler says
I’d love to win for the boys
Jenn S. says
My kids both love The Magic School Bus, thanks for the chance!
Colleen says
Great giveaway! My sons would love this! Visited your blog as part of the UBP.
Nice blog…we love to read here:)
Michele Anne says
would love to win for my nephew….I know he would like this
Sharon says
My dd’s would love to win this. They love the show as well as the books.
Melissa M. says
My kids love the Magic school bus!
lovelyritaann says
I can’t say it enough… you can never have to many children’s books around with little ones. I love that we don’t have any of these!
CHARLENE says
Great giveaway, thanks for offering it!
deb says
Love to win this for oliver
Christy H. says
Please enter me!
Andria says
I would love a chance to win. Thank you.