Written in 1992, "On the Ocean Floor" picks up where "Lost in the Solar System" left off. Ms. Frizzle's students are working on their ocean science projects, which makes their teacher very happy. However, it makes them hot and tired; the temperature on this day is soaring!

"I wish we could go swimming," comments one student while putting the finishing touches on a display about how ocean animals swim.

"As a matter of fact, children," says the Friz, "I've been planning a class trip to the ocean for tomorrow."

And, just like that, the class - as well as the reader at home - is being whisked away on yet another magical field trip. The kids think they're just going to spend a day having fun in the sun, but Ms. Frizzle has other ideas!

"On the Ocean Floor" rivals "Inside the Human Body" for the amount of information - not to mention good-natured humor - packed into one 48-page book. Just about everything you can imagine - and anything you can't - is touched on in this compelling romp through the heart of the ocean. At the end of Ms. Frizzle's latest underwater voyage, you will have a better understanding of what hidden treasures abound in the deep blue sea.

Ms. Frizzle's class learns all about ocean life; the kids come across things such as barnacles, grunts, limpets, sponges, sugar kelp, tubeworms, and whelks. More familiar entities include coral reefs, dolphins, lobsters, plankton, sharks, tunas, and whales. The students explore high tides, low tides, continental shelves, continental slopes, the ocean floor, hot-water vents, and waves. And I'm only bobbing the surface of what Ms. Frizzle has lined up for her class.

The end of the book leaves us with two things: 1) a little quiz distinguishing what things were true in the story and what things were made up; and 2) another clue as to what the Friz's next adventure will entail. From the looks of it, her idea of a field trip is so old, it's practically prehistoric!

As so often happens, it is common for the things we love in life to grow stale. Rarely does a book series get better with age. But Cole and Degen have managed to do just that. With each "Magic School Bus" story they produce, the product becomes more polished. I had never heard of even half the things this tale delves into, and I thoroughly enjoyed absorbing myself in the read. "On the Ocean Floor" is yet another high-quality effort from two people who wouldn't settle for anything less.

The fifth book in this wonderful series is definitely a keeper, as are the four volumes that precede it. Do yourself a favor, and take a ride on the magic school bus!

As Ms. Frizzle herself would say, "Wahoo!"


Minus One for Lenny   June 14, 2001
 3 out of 4 found this review helpful

Humorous, engaging, and packed with information, this best-selling science series is aptly illustrated with lively pictures. My kids adore the cartoon bubbles and short "reports" from the students in the story. Their teacher, Ms Frizzle, is an amazing character who challenges her pupils and leads them on amazing fieldtrips. Her equally fascinating wardrobe changes with each subject and situation. All this has made it a read-aloud favorite since my eldest was three. In ON THE OCEAN FLOOR, the inimitable school bus undergoes several transformations as it transports us to and through the ocean; from tidal pools, down to the deep ocean floor, and, after a brief visit to a tropical island, home. I was touched by the inclusion of a specimen of fish, well known in my home state of Hawaii. However, I must say OUR lifeguards are nothing like Lenny, who, unlike the rest of the book, is definitely lacking on several points. Real lifeguards patrol their strip of beach and keep watch over the waters from their perch. They also patiently answer my children`s questions about the local sea life (most recently, about jellyfish) and just as patiently patch up even the smallest of "boo-boos." Minus one star for Lenny.


A great science book for children   September 7, 2004
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

An unusual science teacher takes her students from the classroom into the ocean - physically. The school bus she drives plunges right into the water and transforms, as needed, from bus into submarine, submersible, and surfboard so that her class can reach and explore every part of the ocean. The expedition starts at the continental shelf and moves through continental slope, ocean floor, deep-sea vents and a fringing coral reef. On their way, they children find themselves magically equipped with diving suits and they can now study plants, ocean water, animals and their habitats.

This book is beautifully illustrated and entertains while teaching important information. Kids will love it.


A little complex for a 6 year old   May 9, 2007
 2 out of 4 found this review helpful

These books are very complex. A lot of little "notations" accros the pages. My daughter is a little overwhelmed by it. More suitable for an 8 or 9 year old