Charles E. Bastien

Time Machine
5.0 out of 5 stars 3 for 1 Extravaganza, September 22, 2004
This volume of Magic School Bus contains 3 different stories: Holiday Special, Rainforest, and All Dried Up.

The Holiday Special is all about the importance of recycling. At one point, for example, the kids are shown how much of the Bus is from recycled products; glass and aluminum, etc.

The Rainforest story hinges around cocoa and coca trees-- something I think most kids can relate to. The kids and Ms. Frizzle head off to rainforest when they can't make hot cocoa to find up "what's up". A good explanation of the interrelationship of creatures and plants (ecology) follows.

All dried up is about the desert and how although the desert environment is hostile and difficult that there are animals and plants that live there because of their adaptations.

Though these tales are for older kids, I have been showing them to my 4 year old. She probably misses the fine nuances, but she has definitely gotten the major themes and it gives us a starting point to talk about animals and plants and why it is part of her job to help me with the recycling.

Some of the Magic School Bus stories are frenetic, by the way, but these collections seem to be less so. (i.e. they don't send my kids crawling up the wall.)

Enjoy. Educational and Fun.… (mehr)