The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor

my grandson Alfie was happy with this book good story and great price he loves buses

The book looks reasonable, but the audio cd is filled with annoying voices with strong American accents and lots of tingly back ground music. They have also moved all the science facts to the end on the audio c.d., which makes the story quite short and the facts quite intensive. The book and cd are also inconsistent in their use of terminology - sometimes referring to "starfish" and sometimes to "sea star".

Before I started elementary school, I knew about The Magic School Bus. Important book series from Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen, this collection of science adventures introduced me at an early age to many scientific concepts important to our everyday life, our world, and how objects around us work.For each book, a different science topic. And in all of them, the same main protagonist. Ms. Frizzle and her mysterious school bus. A machine ruined in appearance, but magical in its tools. Indeed, every time she takes her class on a field trip, the bus transforms itself and its passengers into explorers who discover the mysteries of our world. Having at their hands advanced technology and tools that would make jealous the most envious inventors, this class experiences incredible adventures where they learn new subjects; alongside us readers who discover their stories.In this book, fifth volume in The Magical School Bus series, a new topic. Our oceans; and their ecosystem. Everything about our fishes, whales, sharks, vegetation, and sea levels that exist. As always, Frizzle and her class will go on a field trip. In appearance, she drives them to the Ocean. Which makes the students think they are going to the beach. Without realizing that they are going down to the Ocean. And discover, alongside us, the reality of our sea’s ecosystem. How fragile it is and how we must preserve it. We also learn interesting facts about how fish live and how their food chain is based on an intricate concept that is part of our entire set of survival. Then comes another interesting surprise; an outsider who gets to participate in the adventure. A lifeguard named Lenny, not the very brightest man on Earth, but always ready to do his job. Naive and innocent, a good companion for Ms. Frizzle’s class. And in his presence, we realize how her class is not the only one to enjoy her school bus’s magic. That he and others before her class might have discovered it. Yet, these outsiders don’t seem to make an overfuss about it. Which is the magic of Ms. Frizzle as her technology is both extraordinary, and yet remains as easy to accept the minute you experience it.Through this story, we explore amazing details about our oceans and ecosystem. Which makes this book a purchase worth reading multiple times. A great tool to learn about our seas and planet’s oceans and how life happens down there. And as the author Joanna Cole and illustrator Bruce Degen worked with scientists from the Marine Institute at the University of Connecticut, alongside other organisations like the American Museum of Natural History and the National Science Foundation, the infos we have there are backed up by reliable experts. Scientific info written in a comprehensible language so that everyone can understand the subject. With clear images that help educate readers and understand our organs’ work process.For the prose and story, it is told from the class’s point of view. Speaking in unison; sharing a same common voice. Alongside extra comic book bubbles where, in the illustrations, characters talk to each other.As for the artwork, it is done in watercolors with pen, alongside color pencils, gouache, and ink. And within each of them, we are presented the classroom, the protagonists, and their adventures. All under great illustrations that cover either the entire page, or two pages if an action occurs on a long wide scope view or if it evolves progressively. With intricate drawings about the coral reefs, our animals, and our seas. Including interesting bubble drawings showing the bus’s progression accross the various sea planes that it explores.Now for the book’s editions, you might have either paperback or hardcover versions, but also huge volumes that teachers can use to present to a wide group. So depending on the type of volume you want, you can check with your book store if they offer it or not. As for me, I have a paperback edition and the printing is well done. The text is printed at a proper size; easy to read for all readers. Including adults for it presents basic information about the subjects involved and can be a good reviewer for people who might have forgotten some of their science basics. Especially for the other books that deal with big topics like water resources, the solar system, beehives, dinosaurs, Earth, famous scientists, etc.In sum, this book, alongside this series, is a great success from Scholastic and its two artists. A valuable educational material alongside an awesome story to read while learning about our world and our oceans.

Like so many of the other Magic School Bus books, this one works on many levels and is informative and pleasing for people of all ages and can be read, over and over. In our case those who enjoyed the book ranged from five years old to sixty-eight. The delightful, imaginative text tells a good story, mixing humor with scientific fact with such skill that learning is effortless, and there have been many chuckles while reading about the incomparable Ms. Frizzle, her students and the magic school bus, which turns into a submarine for this book.Well done! I recommend this book (and others in the series - especially, those by the original authors). You don't have to be well informed about science, nor especially interested in science to get a lot out of the book.

I knew about the magic school bus series from living in the USA and enjoyed the TV series. The book takes the whole class on a trip to the depth of the ocean. All terms are explained at the begining of the book. Our class explored the ocean in a submarine and enjoyed the book as they were similar to the children in Miss F's class. Very visual and language easy to understand/.