Publishers Weekly
In another humorous outing, Ms. Frizzle's class returns to get “really up-to-date information” on global warming for their school play. Readers follow as the kids travel to the Arctic to see melting ice, view worldwide effects of climate change (which appear in comic book-like panels), and catch rides on sunbeams to learn about the greenhouse effect. Notebook pages with the students' notes round out this fun and fact-filled adventure. Ages 7-10. (Mar.)
School Library Journal
Gr 2–5—In this addition to the innovative and hilarious series, the Magic School Bus gets refitted as a hybrid and Ms. Frizzle and her class challenge readers to go green. After traveling in their bus-plane and showing in storyboard style example after example of the Earth's changing climate, Ms. Frizzle, reluctant traveler Arnold, new South Korean classmate Joon, and the gang ride sun rays to the Earth, and then get back on the bus as those rays (and riders) get caught by heat-trapping gases. Microscope-goggles make CO2 and other molecules visible as strings of bubbles, and the class observes that people using energy is an overwhelming source of these gases, and they decide to conserve right away. They put on a play about global warming, grabbing the attention of the media and inspiring the whole town. Children won't want to miss the punning online Q & A chat page wrapping up the challenge and Ms. Frizzle and Liz on their tandem bike. Pair this book with Lynne Cherry and Gary Braasch's informative How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate (Dawn, 2008) to explore evidence for rapid climate change and inspire kids to become citizen scientists and advocates.—Sara Lissa Paulson, American Sign Language and English Lower School PS 347, New York City
Kirkus Reviews
Flamboyant as ever, the indefatigable Ms. Frizzle shepherds her young charges on a globe-spanning tour that starts in the melting Arctic, ends back in a greener classroom and in between lays out the process and hazards of the greenhouse effect before going into eco-friendly, energy-saving technological and lifestyle changes. As usual, Degen festoons his busy pictures with the Friz's students taking it all in-here donning "microscope goggles" to check out CO2 molecules, riding sunbeams down to Earth, flying over leaky homes and factories, and making comments ("By the time we grow up..." / "... it may be called Glacier-LESS National Park," exclaim two students, while gesturing to an icy 1932 image juxtaposed against a barren one from today). Flutters of one- or two-sentence handwritten sidebars in the form of the students' written reports provide further information. It's a tested formula that's still as effective as ever for cluing in younger readers with a mix of instruction and droll side remarks. The bus isn't even close to running out of gas yet-particularly as it's now a hybrid. (Informational picture book. 6-9)
In this retake on an original series book, the riders on the high-flying Magic School Bus learn about greenhouse gases, melting ice, rising temperatures, carbon dioxide emissions and the realities of global warming. As always, Ms. Frizzle's students learn their lessons with a pleasing combination of word and illustrations. An inviting call to go green.
