Magic School Bus 25th Anniversary

Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of The Magic School Bus at Scholastic makes me think a lot about how much Ms. Frizzle and the bus influenced me growing up. In school, my favorite teachers always reminded me of Ms. Frizzle. OK — sometimes it was because of their really crazy hair — but usually it was the way they got me excited about learning, or even special field trips they would plan just for my class (the BEST kinds of field trips).

Even hearing a bus honk now takes me back to 5th grade science when we would watch the show or read the book in class and then talk about what the Friz and her class found inside of Ralphie, why our school bus couldn’t take us to outer space, or the importance of preserving ecosystems. The Magic School Bus made science so much easier to learn because it made everything so fun.

If you love The Magic School Bus too, check out the new Where Will the Bus Take You? online game to see where Ms. Frizzle is blasting off to! 

Seeing or reading The Magic School Bus makes me remember about my favorite classes and teachers. What does The Magic School Bus make YOU think of? Leave a Comment with your favorite Magic School Bus memories.

— Caitlin, Scholastic Media Staffer

Taylor Spreitler

Taylor Spreitler, the 18-year-old star of the ABC Family show Melissa & Joey, was kind enough to answer some of our questions. Read on to find out about her favorite TV show, her Southern accent, and her advice for a happy life.

Hall of Horrors: Why I Quit Zombie School

Great news for fans of R.L. Stine! Book #4 of his new series, Hall of Horrors, is out.

Why I Quit Zombie School
Matt was never a superstar in school, but he's definitely the most energetic and quick-witted student here. But what's up with the others? His suspicions are finally confirmed when Franny, his new friend, asks, "How long have you been dead?" To his horror, Matt realizes his parents have unknowingly enrolled him in a zombie school. When Matt overhears the zombie plans to march and claim the whole city for the undead, he has to make a frightening choice: protect himself and continue his charade, or reveal his aliveness and try to save the unsuspecting alive people in the town. 

Want to read more? We have Chapter 1 for you to read right here!

Here are the other books in the new series so far:
Book 1: Claws
Mickey and Amanda are put in charge of their vacationing neighbors' cat, Bella. But Bella escapes from the house and disappears. Amanda has an idea to replace the cat with a look-alike from the local pet store, Cat Heaven. They find a cat that looks exactly like Bella, but the clerk won't sell it to them, so they decide to steal it. Big mistake! These cats are more than they seem to be.

Book 2: Night of the Giant Everything
When 11-year-old Steven Sweeney is tricked into drinking a strange mixture of chemicals by his classmates, things begin to get strange. Either his toothbrush is growing, or he is shrinking! Will he be able to make it through the day and return to his original size?

Book 3: The Five Masks of Dr. Screem
It's Halloween and Monica Anderson is out Trick-or-Treating with her younger brother. They knock on the door of an old, creepy house and are met by a strange woman who pleads for their help. Every year she must battle for the control of five sacred masks with the evil Dr. Screem. These artifacts have the power to manipulate the world around them. Monica doesn't want to help at first but then Screem bursts in and steals the masks. This sets her and her brother off on a Halloween mission that will change their lives forever!

What do you think of R.L. Stine's new Hall of Horrors series? Let us know in the Comments!

Trivia Tuesday Title Scramble Answers

Last week I gave you a bunch of scrambled book titles. Were you able to unscramble the letters to figure out the right titles? Most of the books are pretty new, and have appeared recently in the Ink Splot 26 Reads category. How many of these have you read?

Writing Prompt Double Feature

Write On! Your Pick. This week we have a double feature for our Write On! Writing Prompt. Which means. . . pick one and write on! Or pick both.

Writing Prompt #1 comes from singingbookworm4:
What would you do if you were stuck on top of a tree?

Writing Prompt #2 comes from princessrec:
Focus on one object in the room for a minute, and then write as much as you can about it.

Both great prompts!
If I were stuck on top of a tree, I would probably scream. Loudly. And repeatedly. Then maybe look for a branch to scale down if it were safe. Then probably scream again.

As for princessrec’s prompt, I just happened to be staring at a Kleenex box on my end table, and this is what came to mind:
What a cute little Kleenex box you are. So little and blue. I like how extra soft you are. I’m glad I sprang for the extra 50 cents to get the extra soft version of you with aloe. You make it so nice and soft when I blow my nose. I wonder if I should move you to a more obscure location though. Will people think it’s tacky if I have a Kleenex box displayed on my living room end table when they come to visit? Hmm.

Ok, my minute is up! What about you guys? Pick a prompt and go for it. Or if you’re in a writing zone, do both. Leave your answers in the Comments below. Can’t wait to hear what you guys come up with!

—Ratha, Stacks Writer