I love the Magic School Bus series. The only thing disappointing about this book is that it doesn't have the little notes that the students find out about on the different pages.

The Magic School Bus "Goes Upstream" is one of the better books in the series, because of the science and the knowledge you receive. I am 9 years old, but I read all the books in the series when I was 7( although I read the new ones as they come out). The facts are easy to remember, for example, thier keen sense of smell allows salmon to "smell out" their food.Salmon have a lot of predators like bears and sharks.This book is better for younger kids then older kids,because they give you only simple, quick facts and nothing more.However, THIS BOOK IS GREAT!

A fun book in the "Magic School Bus" series, this is a fact- and pun-filled account of Ms. Frizzle's students (and parents) going on a field trip to learn more about bats. Some of the kids are a little nervous at first: Ralphie believes that bats are really vampires! The field trip shows otherwise, as bat-facts are presented in a creative and interesting manner.

The famous bus does do some magic here: Turning into a "bat bus" to demonstrate echolocation, and then turning the children into bats (temporarily!) so they can learn about bat food, bat predators, bat flight speed, and general "hanging around (upside down from the branches of a tree)." Facts replace suspicion (Is Ms. Frizzle herself a vampire? Did she turn the parents into vampires?), and the story ends with yet another pun. (Be your own judge about whether this story might be too frightening for the very young). With bright, colorful (but not extraordinary) illustrations on each one of the story's 28 pages, and two pages with letters about bats and bat facts. Probably not as exciting as Batman, but fans of "The Magic School Bus" and nature facts should love it.

We liked the story. It was fast-paced as all the Magic School Bus books are. The subject was well covered, lots of information on how germs harm the body and how our natural defenses help conquer them.

I liked reading this book, because it was easy to read and understand. I thought that the book was funny and interesting. The class had show and tell and Arnold brought something in to show that was very interesting. No one knew what it was. They try to find out what it is and where it came from by going on a trip with there teacher. By reading this book, you will find out what exactly happened on their trip and what it is what Arnold brought in for show and tell!
Brandon M.

Since children love 'The Magic School Bus' television show, this book about sinking and floating will be sure to grab the attention of those inquisitive young minds! It serves as a great asset to a science classroom, or your own home library. Although it is kind of lengthy, I highly recommend it for insurance of complete understanding of the sinking and floating process. Happy reading!

Joanna Cole did an excellent job of writing her autobiography. I liked how she started with her relationship with her father, who is dyslexic, and how he made her appreciate the joy of reading. She also explains how her love and interest in science is her inspiration for her books. She didn't grow up thinking she would become a writer but because of her hard working attitude, which she got from her father, and passion for science she now has written many stories. The works I am most familiar with are the Magic School Bus stories but she has also written many others, all having to do with science. It is her passion of science that makes her books so interesting. This book gives you a great deal of information about Cole's life the experiences that have lead her to where she is now.

Joanna Cole (I Am a Big Brother, I Am a Big Sister) has created yet another great book for sharing with young children. Directly addressing toddlers and preschool age children, Cole tells about pregnancy and childbirth. Using terms such as uterus, umbilical cord, and breast, and with illustrations of a child inside the womb, Cole and Chambliss have created a wonderful book for parents to share with very, young children, especially when a new baby is expected. Additional information on answering children's questions about birth is provided at the back of the book.

The info in this book doesn't follow the Bible facts about the creation of Earth, man and animals. Be careful using this book. Make sure it follows an explaination to your youngster about Bible truths. This is a FICTION book and not based on facts.

There are so many "info-narrative" books about dinosaurs for children I was disappointed in this one. I am sorry to be the dissenting opinion but I am not impressed with this book. I would use a different book.

It is not surprising that this is one of the best-selling children`s science series`. My five-year-old loves the pictures and story, while the seven-year-old also appreciates the plethora of facts, as well. The engaging and humorous text is packed with information and complemented by lively and amusing illustrations. The boys love the cartoon bubbles and the short "reports" by the kids in the story. The indomitable teacher, Ms Frizzle and her morphing wardrobe challenges her students on these amazing fieldtrips.

IN THE TIME OF THE DINOSAURS is about: dinosaurs and fossils. Obviously too broad a subject to cover thoroughly in this slim volume, but there`s plenty to whet the appetite. There is a real paleontologist at a real dig. And the bus turns into a time machine. The colorful charts and final class display keep us in perspective. The kids always have questions about something. Thank you Ms Frizzle, Ms Cole, and Mr Degen for answering and encouraging them.

This was a pretty dumb book I already knew all of this stuff!

I bought this, along with several similar books, for my 11 year-old son. The Q&A format of this book made it easy to read, but many topics were handled in a clinical, vague manner and spent way too much time on trivial subjects (e.g., a whole chapter on "Crushes.") I actually checked the copyright, to see if it was written in the '50's. (It's 1988.) I was very troubled by the section, "What Happens if a Young Girl Gets Pregnant?" It ignored the boy's role & responsibility, and glossed over the topic with vague statements such as: "Her whole life will change, and not usually for the better." And, "She may feel upset for a long time afterward." There's even a section, "Why Would a Girl Let Herself Get Pregnant?" which suggests "Sometimes a girl secretly wants to get pregnant..." The section ends with: "The surest way to prevent pregnancy is not to have intercourse." I found a much better book for my son: "What's Going on Down There." Silly title, but much more thorough, balanced and practical.

I bought this book hoping to have an early broad conversation about sexuality with my 9 year old boy and found this book to be too detailed for someone that young. The illustrations are over-simplified and may be good for younger kids, but it doesn't jibe with the text which is more complex and biologically, fact-based. A great book- but I found I have to leave it on the shelf for another year or so. I don't think most 9-year olds will get this stuff yet so I'd advise you to hold off buying this unless you have an exceptionally mature child of this age. I'm sure it will be an excellent reference at 10 or 11.