Joanna Cole, author of the beloved Magic School Bus series, has passed away at the age of 75.
According to a release from Cole’s publisher, Scholastic, the award-winning writer died on Sunday, July 12. Cole had resided in Iowa with her husband Phil.
“Joanna Cole had the perfect touch for blending science and story,” Dick Robinson, Chairman of Scholastic, said of the author. “Joanna’s books, packed with equal parts humor and information, made science both 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.”
“Her Ms Frizzle led a group of eager and curious students on countless adventurous trips on the Magic School Bus—into the human body, hurricanes, the solar system, and everywhere imaginable,” Robinson continued. “Joanna and the landmark series she created with illustrator Bruce Degen and editor Craig Walker was produced for television by Scholastic Entertainment, and has been viewed continuously for 25 years. Her spirited work will live on as The Magic School Bus continues to be discovered by new readers and viewers.”