21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Star Light, Star Bright, October 15, 2003
This review is from: The Magic School Bus Lost In The Solar System (Paperback)
Not content with what Earth has to offer, Ms. Frizzle takes her class on a field trip of outer space for the fourth installment of this acclaimed science series, "The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System." Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen are bright as ever in their latest out-of-this-world adventure.
The Friz was already planning for this field trip at the end of her previous voyage, "Inside the Human Body." She informs her students that they're "going to the planetarium to see a sky show about the solar system." And since the kids have already swam through water ("At the Waterworks"), dug up rocks ("Inside the Earth"), and been digested ("Inside the Human Body"), an afternoon at the planetarium seems like a walk through the park. Or, better yet, through the solar system!
There is only one thing dimming everyone's shining star. Arnold's cousin, Janet, is visiting for the day and she isn't exactly the quiet type. She's a regular Ms. Know-It-All, expressing her opinions whenever she feels like it. "I know all of you will be nice to our guest," says Ms. Frizzle. And with that, the class blasts off for the planetarium.
However, it looks like the Friz's mission has been grounded. The planetarium is closed for repairs! But that's when the magic school bus takes matters into its own hands. If you can't bring the stars to you, simply go to them yourself!
The students in Ms. Frizzle's class learn all sorts of interesting facts about outer space. They get up-close and personal with the other eight planets - Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. They are educated on universal bodies such as the Asteroid Belt, meteorites, the Sun, various moons, and rings of the planets. They even find out about things such as gravity, orbits, sunspots, various temperatures in space, etc.
Then something happens that threatens to end the students' quest of knowledge through the solar system. What will Ms. Frizzle do? And even though Janet is a bit haughty, is she the only one that can save the entire class from drifting off into space?
Once again, Cole and Degen prove they have no boundaries. Mixing humor and truth - and not to mention a dose of drama - author and illustrator lead Ms. Frizzle's class and readers alike on an intriguing journey of the solar system. Written in 1990, "Lost in the Solar System" is yet another solid effort from all those involved. But would you expect anything less at this point?
The end of this book, like the three before it, has useful information on what was fact in the story and what was made up. And, like she's done three times before, Ms. Frizzle leaves the reader another clue as to what spectacular exploration she has rolled up her sleeves during our next encounter. Dolphins, fishes and sharks - oh, my! If her outfit is any indication, readers had better start packing their diving suits right now!
As Ms. Frizzle herself would say, "Buckle up, class. We're going down!"
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best children's science series ever., March 4, 2002
This review is from: The Magic School Bus Lost In The Solar System (Paperback)
The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System is one is a series of science adventure books by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen (Illustrator), all of which are trulky excellent. The chart the adventures of Ms. Frizzle and her class as they go on some really interesting field trips.
The books operate on several levels. They work as adventure stories as the manner in which they get diverted from an ordinary school field trip to the adventure at hand is always entertaining. The illustrations are truly wonderful and add to the story line very effectively. The books do in fact contain a lot of basic information about the topic at hand, so your kids are actually learning something as they read. And, as a final bonus, the books always involve some sore of class socialization issue, so your kids are exposed to some real life classroom issue, (here it's a Miss know-it-all type) and strategies for dealing with them as well. On top of all that, the books are just plain fun.
A great series for late pre-schoolers and early elementary age kids. So, what are you waing for? Jump on the Magic School Bus and have some fun!!!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
