ON THE BUS WITH JOANNA COLE

A grand autobiography in the Creative Sparks series that is both accessible and entertaining. Cole, who has created so many funny characters (such as those found in her Magic School Bus series) is good company in her own right. Cole begins by talking about her father, a dyslexic who had trouble reading but loved to talk and debate; he imparted to her a sense of wonder and deep gratitude for the ability to read. Readers get a real sense of the person behind the books and are also introduced to the process of writing: Cole talks about the similarity between preparing a report and a book and explains that she begins by reading and absorbing information long before she plans what to say or prepares an outline. As with her books, the points are made through her enthusiasm for sharing information rather than as lessons. It is fun to be behind the scenes with the Magic School Bus books, too. The illustrations are primarily from Cole's books, but there are also photographs of her and the people with whom she works. A book as appealing as any Cole has written, good for recreational readers and report-writers alike. (Autobiography. 10-13)