Book Review: The Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth
This one’s for the rock lover in your family (which I confess I am). In Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth, written by Joanna Cole and illustrated by Bruce Degen, science teacher Ms. Frizzle and her class are off on another adventure on their trusty old school bus. This time it’s a trip inside the Earth to learn about rocks, volcanoes and the Earth’s structure.
Along the way, there’s plenty of fun dialog and adventure. The bus goes from a steam shovel to a giant drill that bores deep into the Earth (in fact, all the way through the Earth to the core and then out again through a volcano).
The book ends with a very funny dialogue between the author and artist and a reader who questions the validity of the story. It’s the perfect touch for the child who has difficulty letting his or her imagination go and having fun with the story.
And, I shouldn’t forget to mention, if your child is on the younger side, the colorful and detailed drawings should hold her attention even if the facts are too much right now.
Like all the Magic School Bus books, this story has a lot of staying power. Both your 4-year-old and your 7-year-old will love these books.
Be warned that these are not short reads, but can be broken into several sittings. It takes us about 30 minutes to read each book cover-to-cover.
Ages: 4+ (as noted in the other Magic School Bus reviews, Scholastic recommends these books for 7-10 year olds, but we know younger children who adore them)
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