The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor [Library Binding]

Joanna Cole (Author), Bruce Degen (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Magic School Bus

Assuming they are simply going on an ordinary field trip to the beach, Ms. Frizzle's students enjoy a pleasant surprise when their teacher drives right into the ocean.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In her zany approach to science, Ms. Frizzle literally immerses her students in a sea of knowledge. Expecting a normal, end-of-the-year beach day, the class is shocked when "the Friz" drives the school bus through the parking lot, over the beach (with a quick lecture on the intertidal zone), and into the ocean depths. During this fanciful yet scientifically accurate romp, the bus appropriately metamorphoses into a submarine, a submersible, a glass-bottom boat, and--in a final flourish--a titanic surfboard. All the while, Ms. Frizzle's students (and Cole's readers) experience the wet wonders of potentially dry textbook subjects: where sand comes from, why oceans are salty, how fish breathe, the "not-fish" sea animals, underwater food chains, life in hot water vents and coral reefs. Weighty information is buoyantly supported by energetic, cartoony illustrations with bubbles of comical true-to-life kid-talk. Elementary readers will giggle at the side-story of Lenny, a lifeguard suffering delusions of heroism. Cole and Degen continue to hone their unique mix of humor, fact and sound teaching techniques. Like others in the series, this book will capture readers at school and at home. Ages 6-9.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4-- Miss Frizzle's class is doing a project on the ocean and learning about the kinds of animals and plants that live there. Of course, a class trip is in her plan book. Those familiar with the inimitable school bus and its previous fantastical journeys are in for another treat; those who are not are in for a wild introduction. With her usual dash and aplomb, the teacher gathers her students, they board the bus, and off they go on an adventuresome trip to the ocean floor. All listen as she informs them about the geologic strata they pass, the flora and fauna at the various depths, the unique interdependence of the undersea world, and in turn, how its survival depends upon humankind's actions on land. The engaging characterizations and use of informative cartoon bubbles continue to be a hallmark of this exuberant author/illustrator team. The vibrant text is well researched and accurate; it is presented with such humor and lightness that everyone will wish for a seat on that magic bus. A great way to escape a hot, stuffy school, and to embark on a cool adventure. --Mary Lou Budd, Milford South Elementary School, OH
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Library Binding: 48 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc. (September 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590414305
• ISBN-13: 978-0590414302
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,282,571 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joanna Cole s a former elementary school teacher and librarian and a frequent contributor to Parents magazine. Joanna Cole lives in Connecticut.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 20,000 Leaks Under the Sea, October 14, 2003

By 

Children's Book Review (Nebraska) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor (Paperback)

At this point, Ms. Frizzle and her class have explored things like the waterworks, the many layers of the earth, the human body, and even outer space. So it's only natural that Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen would decide to lead their readers on an under-sea adventure. "The Magic School Bus: On the Ocean Floor" is another top-notch collaboration by two people who show no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Written in 1992, "On the Ocean Floor" picks up where "Lost in the Solar System" left off. Ms. Frizzle's students are working on their ocean science projects, which makes their teacher very happy. However, it makes them hot and tired; the temperature on this day is soaring!

"I wish we could go swimming," comments one student while putting the finishing touches on a display about how ocean animals swim.

"As a matter of fact, children," says the Friz, "I've been planning a class trip to the ocean for tomorrow."

And, just like that, the class - as well as the reader at home - is being whisked away on yet another magical field trip. The kids think they're just going to spend a day having fun in the sun, but Ms. Frizzle has other ideas!

"On the Ocean Floor" rivals "Inside the Human Body" for the amount of information - not to mention good-natured humor - packed into one 48-page book. Just about everything you can imagine - and anything you can't - is touched on in this compelling romp through the heart of the ocean. At the end of Ms. Frizzle's latest underwater voyage, you will have a better understanding of what hidden treasures abound in the deep blue sea.

Ms. Frizzle's class learns all about ocean life; the kids come across things such as barnacles, grunts, limpets, sponges, sugar kelp, tubeworms, and whelks. More familiar entities include coral reefs, dolphins, lobsters, plankton, sharks, tunas, and whales. The students explore high tides, low tides, continental shelves, continental slopes, the ocean floor, hot-water vents, and waves. And I'm only bobbing the surface of what Ms. Frizzle has lined up for her class.

The end of the book leaves us with two things: 1) a little quiz distinguishing what things were true in the story and what things were made up; and 2) another clue as to what the Friz's next adventure will entail. From the looks of it, her idea of a field trip is so old, it's practically prehistoric!

As so often happens, it is common for the things we love in life to grow stale. Rarely does a book series get better with age. But Cole and Degen have managed to do just that. With each "Magic School Bus" story they produce, the product becomes more polished. I had never heard of even half the things this tale delves into, and I thoroughly enjoyed absorbing myself in the read. "On the Ocean Floor" is yet another high-quality effort from two people who wouldn't settle for anything less.

The fifth book in this wonderful series is definitely a keeper, as are the four volumes that precede it. Do yourself a favor, and take a ride on the magic school bus!

As Ms. Frizzle herself would say, "Wahoo!"

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent coverage!, September 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor (Paperback)

Another triumph for the Magic School Bus series. The class takes a field trip to the ocean (not the beach; the ocean) where they learn about the wondrous creatures that live there. Everything from plankton to mammals, including the strange lifeforms around hot water vents, is touched on in this fabulous book. The inserts on each page from the kids' projects add valuable information. The science is current and presented in an entertaining and easy-to-understand manner. Even though the series is designed for older kids, my two-year-old loves the pictures and carries the book with him everywhere.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great science book for children, September 6, 2004

By 

M. Coppedge (North Carolina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor (Paperback)

An unusual science teacher takes her students from the classroom into the ocean - physically. The school bus she drives plunges right into the water and transforms, as needed, from bus into submarine, submersible, and surfboard so that her class can reach and explore every part of the ocean. The expedition starts at the continental shelf and moves through continental slope, ocean floor, deep-sea vents and a fringing coral reef. On their way, they children find themselves magically equipped with diving suits and they can now study plants, ocean water, animals and their habitats.

This book is beautifully illustrated and entertains while teaching important information. Kids will love it.