The Magic School Bus Rides Again: Monster Power

The Magic School Bus Rides Again: 
Monster Power
Judy Katschke
Branches/Scholastic, 2018 92 pages
Grades 2-4
Magic School Bus Rides Again series #2

The gang from the Magic School Bus is back in a new chapter book series based on the recent reboot as seen on Netflix. Ms. Frizzle has retired and her younger sister (also named Ms. Frizzle) has taken over. Arnold is expressing concerns about a monster who loves the darkness. His worst fear is imagined as Ms. Frizzle loads the class onto the bus and heads to the wilderness for an overnight camping adventure. Arnold decides that the best way to keep the monster away is to provide light, but how can he create it without electricity? Arnold and the gang learn how to create clean energy with the help of their knowledgeable teacher and class mascot, Liz. Energy sources such as solar, wind, water, people-power, as well as the use of dirty energy from a generator, are all explored. Back-matter includes a glossary of terms used, further facts about energy offered in a question/answer format from Ms. Frizzle, and ideas and discussion questions for classroom use.

Pulled directly from the new television reboot, the old gang is back with a younger and more hip Ms. Frizzle. I'm not sure if young-ifying the lovable and eccentric teacher was necessary, but I suppose that's showbiz. New fans, who are the target audience for this book, may not be familiar with the original series and won't notice or care about the change. The Branches books by Scholastic are wildly popular at my library as high interest transitional chapter books and we can't keep them on the shelves. They are heavily illustrated, written on a fairly low level, and are just right for emerging readers, helping them to gain confidence. This new branch of the Branches line of books is a guided reading level "O", making it higher than the usual level. The series does deliver on the short chapters, plentiful illustrations, and high action. The black and white illustrations are on every page, sometimes in multiple, and seem to be taken directly from the television show's computer animation. Readers looking for character development and a heartfelt story have come to the wrong place. The series does offer scientific information presented in an entertaining way that will appeal to all children. The cast of characters is racially and gender mixed. The series does not need to be read in any order as each adventure stands alone. Maybe not the best piece of children's literature I've read, but the series is sure to be enjoyed by readers, who will walk away having learned something. In this STEM-mad world in which we now live there will be a wide audience for this new series reboot and it will be useful in both a school and home setting.