The Magic School Bus was a series of children's books intended to teach scientific concepts to children. They were written between 1986 and 2001 by Joanna Cole and illustrated by Bruce Degan. The books feature the exploits of Ms. Frizzle and her class of students at Walkerville Elementary School who board a magical school bus which takes them on educational adventures to space, under the Earth, into the human body, or to other such locations. The books were written in the first person from the point of view of an unnamed student in the Friz's class.

Joanna Cole is a United States author of children’s books who teaches science. She is most famous as the author of The Magic School Bus series of children's books. Cole loved science as a child, and had a teacher she says was a little like Ms. Frizzle. She has worked as an elementary school teacher, a librarian, and a children’s book editor.