The Magic School Bus series both books and DVDs are really wonderful and accurate introductions to science. I loaded up on them when my oldest was young, and we watched the DVDs all the time … if we are going to watch TV, at least it’s educational! But, with my third, I seriously think that he has not watched a single show of this excellent series. My kids say that at school when they have more indoor time than scheduled (absent music, the art of PE teacher so the sub can’t really fill in), they watch a DVD, and very often, it’s The Magic School Bus series.
So, out of a stack of about two dozen of The Magic School Bus picture books, I asked my two oldest to rank their favorites. It might be the difference in their personalities, but my middle child was quite adamant about rejecting the books she disliked while my oldest said, more or less, she liked them all with the exception of Ants in My Pants because the ants creeped her out. My middle, though, really liked Ants in My Pants. So…here’s their list that they came up with together.
Best Magic School Bus Books for Kids
The Magic School Bus: And the Climate Challenge
Personally, I get a little stressed out when I read about global warming with the large chunks of ice melting and the earth seemingly forever changed for the worse. Somehow, The Magic School Bus manages to convey climate change with urgency yet with a positive message of how to change our habits to prevent global warming. This is a great way to introduce the urgency of recycling to young ones in a meaningful and relevant way.
10. The Magic School Bus: Gets All Dried Up
A book about deserts focusing on animal and plant adaptations.
9. The Magic School Bus: At the Waterworks
How your city gets its water from the time it falls out of the sky to when it shows up in your bathroom.
8. The Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth
All about rocks, stalagmites & stalactites, volcanoes, igneous rocks, and the earth’s layers.
7. The Magic School Bus: Plants Seeds
A book about how living things with detailed information about pollination and seed fertilization
6. The Magic School Bus: See Stars
The lifecycle of stars from inception to implosion.
5. The Magic School Bus: Kicks Up a Storm
All about thunderstorms from cloud creation to rain, sleet, and snow.
4. The Magic School Bus: Inside the Human Body
All about the body from digestion to blood and the organs of the body.
3. The Magic School Bus: Wet All Over
A book about the water cycle from evaporation to condensation to rain.
2. The Magic School Bus: Gets Ants in Its Pants
A book about ants including ant communication, job specialization, and reproduction.
1. The Magic School Bus: Gets Baked in a Cake
The science of baking with a focus on the chemical reaction of vinegar and baking soda.
To examine any of the items listed, please click on image of item.
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BEST #OWNVOICES CHILDREN’S BOOKS: My Favorite Diversity Books for Kids Ages 1-12 is a book that I created to highlight books written by authors who share the same marginalized identity as the characters in their books.