Date: Fri 23-Apr-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

Frizzle-Cole-Degen-Magic-Bus

Full Text:

The Frizz Is Back! ...And So Are Her Creators

(with artwork)

Science teacher Ms Frizzle and her students are back in The Magic School Bus

Explores the Senses (Scholastic Press; March 1999, $15.95), the sense-sational

new book in the critically-acclaimed Magic School Bus series written by Joanna

Cole and illustrated by Bruce Degen.

Ms Cole and Mr Degen, who both live with their families in Newtown, will be at

The Book Review in Sand Hill Plaza on Saturday, April 24, for a book signing

program to celebrate the release of their latest effort. The pair will be at

the store, on Main Street South in Newtown, from 1 to 3 pm to meet fans and

sign copies of the books.

Ms Frizzle's class has been studying the senses, and they are almost ready to

sing a song about them at a parent-teachers' meeting. At the end of the school

day, Ms Frizzle takes off in her snazzy convertible, The Sensemobile V,

thinking the meeting is the following night.

Unfortunately, Ms Frizzle has the date wrong -- the meeting is that night, and

her students need her -- so the school's new assistant principal, Mr Wilde,

chases after her in the Magic School Bus.

The Magic School Bus, as many young readers can tell you, looks like your

standard yellow school bus... most of the time. But at the hands of Ms Frizzle

and with her students on board, the bus has the capability to change shape and

size.

The teacher and her students can go just about anywhere -- into a beehive, to

a waterworks facility, inside the Earth and into the solar system, into a

hurricane, and down to the ocean floor.

Meanwhile, back in the pages of The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses , Ms

Frizzle's students are not about to let their assistant principal take off in

the Magic School bus alone. With the touch of a button, the Bus takes its

passengers on a crazy ride through the eyes of a passing policeman, the ears

of a child, the nose of a dog, and even Ms Frizzle's hand and tongue while

they learn all about the five senses.

The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses is the tenth book in the popular

Magic School Bus series. Since its debut in 1986, over 16 million Magic School

Bus books have been sold.

In addition to learning while reading, children who enjoy the Magic School Bus

books have come to love watching for the outrageous outfits worn by the

teacher who makes science fun and the silly jokes.

Joanna Cole writes all the jokes in the books as part of the story lines (the

ones on the closing pages of ...Explores the Senses are among her silliest

yet!), and Bruce Degen comes up with the wonderful outfits that are threaded

into the theme of each book.

In fact, Mr Degen has said his favorite part of illustrating the Magic School

Bus books is making the bold fashion statements with Ms Frizzle's outfits.

Fans have come to enjoy the wacky dresses, shoes and accessories, and they

especially look forward to seeing The Frizz's outfit at the closing of each

story -- it usually gives a clue to the next Magic School Bus adventure.

The Magic School Bus phenomenon continues to grow with the recent move of the

Emmy Award-winning Scholastic's The Magic School Bus television series from

PBS to the top-rated Fox Kids Network, and the continuation of the popular

traveling The Magic School Bus stage show.

Joanna Cole is the recipient of The Washington Post/Children's Book Guild

Non-Fiction Award for the body of her work, and a David McCord Literature

Citation for her significant contribution to excellence in the field of

children's books. She is the author of more than 50 non-fiction and fiction

books for children.

Bruce Degen is the illustrator of numerous books for children, including the

popular Jesse Bear series. He is also the author and illustrator of the

best-selling classic Jamberry and most recently Sailaway Home for Scholastic

Press.