The Magic School Bus Going Batty: A Book About Bats

by Joanna Cole, Nancy E. Krulik, Bob Ostrom (Illustrator)

When the Magic School Bus turns into a bat, the gang gets the inside story on this eerie yet fascinating creature of the night.

Genres: Science, Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Nonfiction, School, Halloween

32 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1996

About the author

Joanna Cole, who also wrote under the pseudonym B. J. Barnet, was an author of children’s books who teaches science.

She is most famous as the author of The Magic School Bus series of children's books. Joanna Cole wrote over 250 books ranging from her first book Cockroach to her famous series Magic School Bus.

Cole was born in Newark, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby East Orange. She loved science as a child, and had a teacher she says was a little like Ms. Frizzle. She attended the University of Massachusetts and Indiana University before graduating from the City College of New York with a B.A. in psychology. After some graduate education courses, she spent a year as a librarian in a Brooklyn elementary school. Cole subsequently became a letters correspondent at Newsweek, and then a senior editor for Doubleday Books for Young Readers.

Reviews

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read with my son when he was in first grade.* A fun learning book that my son owned and we read together.

*He had to keep a reading log and I just found this when going through storage tubs.

[Ali Book&Seaglasshunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids LOVE Magic School Bus (show) and bats, so this was a big hit in my house. The plot of the book mirrors the TV show episode by the same name. You lose some of the dialogue but the actual scientific information about bats all remain. This is fun book to read during October because it’s a bit spooky, but still informative. It’s especially fun if you can get outside and observe some bats as well.
Ms. Frizzle’s students are preparing presentations about nocturnal animals to share with their parents. Of course the Frizz has some plans when it comes to parents night, and she whisks the parents away. Ralph is is convinced the parents are about to become victims to the batty Frizz, who he believes is a vampire. The students set out to save their parents, and learn a lot about bat behavior while putting the vampire myth to rest.

[Kaliah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book. Mom had my cousin and I close our eyes and walk close to the wall and use our senses to feel when we got close. I could here it sounded different when I got close. I learned a lot and it was a fun book to read!

[Kylie Pickett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ralphie believes Ms. Frizzle is a vampire when the class goes on a field trip to a haunted house. The students all turn into bats after they don't believe him. This book would be great for early elementary students during the week of Halloween or even a unit on bats.

[Daria Monahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is my favorite book based on this episode, I had study of the bats. And Ralphie believes Ms. Frizzle is a vampire on my favorite part. Because Ralphie is worrying about Ms. Frizzle took their classroom's parents to the castle then she will turns them into the bats.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the Magic School Bus as a child, and now my daughter loves it too! Perfect starter book for her to not only like the television show, but also the book series as well.

[K Morlando · Rating 5 out of 5]

We love the Magic School Bus series. These books are so informative and visually appealing for readers of all ages.

[Josee Bremaud · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes
Please

[Cedar Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s an awesome book because I got it at my library for one thing.

[Tibbara's Den · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute. I always loved the show growing up. This book had the same vibe and really took me back. I loved the informational bits at the end.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Magic School Bus: Going Batty teaches interesting facts about different kinds of bats. In the process the children, their parents and of course the school bus are transformed into bats. This book does explain the wherefore behind Ms. Frizzle's magic bus and her apparent ability to brainwash the children and their parents into going along on each of her potentially dangerous field trips. Ms. Frizzle is a vampire. Sure, by the end of book Ms. Frizzle has brain washed everyone into ignoring the fact she was acting like a vampire but I like the pat explanation to the entire series.

On a more serious note, the book does have many interesting bat facts. It teaches about echolocation, how bats fly, what bats eat, where bats live and so forth.

Bruce Degen did the illustrations for the book and they are cute and not too scary, even when Ms. Frizzle is at her most vampirish.

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot more text information than there are pictures. I would understand this because it is an informational text about bats. I know that books could be information even if the background of it is fictional as they travel.

I see an enhancing interaction with the picture and words but in this case, the text is elaborating more on the picture because of the genre. The pictures are surrealism as they travel to go see the bats close up. The blue and black colors give it a scary feeling because bats could be scary. The horizontal lines bring all the text together to inform all about bats.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun adventure in the Magic School Bus series of books, this story teaches about bats. It's not specifically about Halloween, but has a bit of a spooky Halloween theme, with references to Dracula and monster masks. It's a fairly typical book in the series and our girls just love them!

[Little Miss and the Legomeister · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the Magic School Bus books. I've read quite a few over the years. Legomeister loved them a couple of years ago. He still checks them out sometimes, but he doesn't ask me to read them to him anymore. Now it's Little Miss who requests them.

In this one the Magic School Bus crew turn into bats and wonder if Ms. Frizzle is a vampire. Not their best plot line, in my opinion.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Magic School Bus Book (head held down in shame) and I really liked it! It was interesting and fun! I learned a lot about bats! It little long, but 4 or 5th Graders would sit through this one! I really liked it...I mean who doesn't love a Teacher like Ms Frizzle who really gets into her work!! Fun book!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lot to learn about bats here. This one is a little longer than some of my favorites. I like more info all over the page that is optional. This one has most of the information right in the text of the story...which makes it pretty long for preschooler like my kids. They still seem to love it, though.

[Deanna Sutter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite book. It didn't have much information beyond that bats are nocturnal and they use echo location...

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frank was pretty much obsessed with this. I was worried it would give him nightmares, but he did fine.

[Tuyet Tran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bats! Are they a vampire? I really used to think that bats were vampire. Now, reading this book clear all of my misunderstanding about this nocturnal creatures.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Magic School Bus Going Batty: A Book About Bats
Cole, Joanna
science supplement for the classroom

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved watching this TV show as a kid. I feel like I learned so much from the books and the show!

[Karley]

A fun book to read about bats. Could be used around Halloween or when the class is discussing bats. Lots of facts.

[Melissa Housholder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Frizzle has turned everyone into bats so they can understand bats more clearly. Very descriptive and informational in a fun, fiction story.

[Deborah Harris]

AR Quiz No. 15110 EN Nonfiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: LG - BL: 3.5 - AR Pts: 1.0
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP

[David Monroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these books -they are filled with knowledge but in an interesting and funny way.

[Sarah Michelle Virginia DeRosier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute short read about general information about bats very very interesting

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids love Magic School Bus and I love the information that is incorporated in each story. Every book in the series is worth reading.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

My middle daughter loved the tv series that this book is based upon. this book is equally fun and educational. I recommend this highly.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

1 copy

[Naira2975]

#85 - 2019