Parents' Guide to

The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge

By Darienne Stewart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

A hefty science lesson mixed with tips on taking action.

Book Joanna Cole Science 2010
The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge Poster Image

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Every corner of this fun book is crammed with fun details: funny asides, informational graphics, and brief reports presented as papers by students. The climate change lesson is a sobering, even frightening, one but “the Friz” and her class leave readers with a solid message of empowerment that probably will leave kids feeling more excited than worried. The science is well illustrated with engaging artwork and concrete comparisons: For example, the amount of carbon dioxide generated by Americans each year is equivalent to “eight hefty hippos” per person.

Parents might find it a bit busy to read together, but kids will enjoy unearthing facts and ideas tucked in every corner of the brightly illustrated pages. There’s a psychedelic touch to the book -- both the bus and Ms. Frizzle’s outfit sport ever-shifting Technicolor decorations (as the students learn about recycling, the Friz even sports cans on her high heels).

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