Joanna Cole, author of the beloved book series. the Magic school bus and other children’s books, he died at age 75.
The Scholastic editorial announced Cole’s death in a statement Wednesday. She died Sunday of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the AP reported.
Cole created the Magic school bus 1986 series with illustrator Bruce Degen, after the publisher’s senior editorial director Craig Walker continued to receive requests from teachers for children’s science books, according to the AP.
The magic school bus follow the elementary school teacher, Mrs. Valerie Frizzle and her students as they go on excursions in a magic bus.
Dick Robinson, president and CEO of Scholastic, said Cole “had the perfect touch to combine science and history.”
“Joanna’s books, full of humor and information in equal measure, made science easy to understand and fun for the hundreds of millions of children around the world who read her books and watched the award-winning television series,” she said. Robinson. “Her Ms. Frizzle led a group of eager and curious students on countless adventure trips in the Magic school bus – in the human body, hurricanes, the solar system and everywhere imaginable. “
Scholastic said the series has more than 93 million copies in print in 13 countries and has won several prestigious book awards.
The magic school bus It was adapted into an equally beloved cartoon television show that aired on PBS for 18 years, with Lily Tomlin playing Mrs. Frizzle. In 2017 Netflix released a reboot of the show with Kate McKinnon as Mrs. Frizzle.
A live action Magic school bus The movie starring Elizabeth Banks was announced last month.
Cole was born in New Jersey in 1944. As a child, she was particularly interested in science. He said that Mrs. Frizzle was like her fifth grade teacher, who had a child conduct an experiment each week in front of the class.
“I always wanted to be that boy,” said Cole.
Cole graduated with a BA in psychology from City College of New York, then became an elementary school teacher, librarian, children’s book publisher, and later writer.
“In my science books, including The magic school bus books, I write about ideas, instead of just the facts, I try to ask a question, such as how do scientists guess what dinosaurs were like? “, said.” So I try to answer the question as I write the book. “
Many mourned the news of Cole’s death on social media with memories of how the series shaped their love of science.
Cole lived in Sioux City, Iowa in his later years. She is survived by her husband Phil, daughter, son-in-law, grandchildren, and sister Virginia McBride.
