An amazing school field trip involves a first hand look at the Sun and each planet of our solar system after the school bus driven by the inimitable Ms. Frizzle becomes a space ship. Janet, a visitor this day, adds a humorously competitive outside view on all matters to the classroom of racially diverse children. Readers can enjoy the classmates' repartee while finding out information in a cartoon format. Fantasy and fact are distinct and separate, just as they are in other books in the Scholastic series: MAGIC SCHOOL BUS AT THE WATERWORKS (1986;) ...INSIDE THE EARTH (1987); and ...INSIDE THE HUMAN BODY (1989). (Ages 7-10)

On a special field trip in the magic school bus, Ms. Frizzle's class goes into outer space and visits each planet in the solar system.