The mesmerizing format of the Magic School Bus books has become familiar, but Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen continue to keep the series fresh. In this latest offering, the school's assistant principal gets behind the wheel of the magic school bus completely unaware of the amazing possibilities in store. The students accompany Mr. Wilde, who is tracking down Ms. Frizzle after school, and when he presses the little green button on the dashboard of the bus, the class is off on another impossible adventure in the blink of an eye- literally. Their trip turns into a firsthand look at the workings of sensory systems-sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. They even take a journey into the brain of The Friz herself, all the while getting a glimpse of what is perhaps one of the greatest mystery of all to children-what teachers do after school. Like the other books in The Magic Schoolbus series, this one is packed with reliable science in the framework of fantastic occurrences. (Ages 6-9)