The Magic School Bus was a series like no other. The shared joy that Ms Frizzle and her class brought its audience has yet to be matched by anything else. It was one of those rare series that triumphed learning and entertainment, making it loved by teachers, parents, and kids alike.
Unfortunately, Ms Frizzle’s creator, Joanna Cole, died at age 75 last Sunday from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which is a disease that causes irreversible lung scarring.
This week, it was revealed that Joanna Cole, author of The Magic School Bus passed away at 75 years old.
Ms Frizzle was our most beloved science teacher. Every day, on ABC Kids, she took us on adventures about the Magic School Bus. We went to Space to walk on the moon, we visited the creatures under the sea and even found ourselves inside Ralph’s body to witness the virus living inside him.
Whether you knew the series by the books or television show, it’s hard to imagine a world where we weren’t collectively raised by Ms Frizzle and her class. It first aired in 1994 as an animated series and ran for four seasons. In 2017, Netflix rebooted it for the new generation and an upcoming film starring Elizabeth Banks as Ms Frizzle is in production.
Banks posted this in honour of Cole:
Sad to read this news tonight. Sending love to Joanna’s family. These books have brought so much joy to children for so many years and I am so honored I get to help shine a light on the legendary Ms. Frizzle. https://t.co/YAYEtt8CUT
— Elizabeth Banks (@ElizabethBanks) July 16, 2020
The loss of such a childhood hero can in no way be consoled but she left us one last parting gift: a final book called The Magic School Bus Explores Human Evolution. In the meantime, no matter what age you are, sit back and indulge in the classic childhood series that taught us so much.
