The J Files: The Big Soccer Accident--Part 1

For my first installment of "The J Files," I chose from the MSB file. MSB (for the uninitiated) stands for "Magic School Bus." Joanna Cole wrote a series of books back in the 80s in which a 3rd/4th grade science class went on field trips to help them understand various topics brought up in class. Their field trips, however, were not just ORDINARY field trips. They occurred via a "magic" school bus that took them into outer space and into the cells of the human body, amongst many other places.

The book series featured the teacher, "Ms. Frizzle," a class pet lizard, "Liz," and 18 students. We started with the book series when J was about 4yo. When he was 5yo, I found out that there was a TV series, too! In the TV series, only the teacher, the lizard, and EIGHT of the students made the cut.

That was the background. There will be a quiz later.

The picture I found for our first "The J Files" feature is actually one of the few that J designed to color. Coloring is not his favorite thing to do. (Unlike his Aunt T who STILL had her crayons from her coloring days.) He strongly feels that black and white is sufficient, so, when he does give us some color in his drawings, it should be noted and appreciated.

First, some character identification:

• Dorothy Ann (aka DA) wears a purple shirt, green skirt and her blond hair in two pigtails.
• Carlos is always in a blue hoodie, red sweat pants, and wears his hair on the long side (hence the long "curl").
• Shirley wears a flowered dress. She didn't make it to the big time TV program.
• Phoebe (red dress) and Gregory (blue outfit) are crashing into one another on the left side of the page. Phoebe went on to stardom, Gregory went on to obscurity.
• Molly and Tim, both African-Americans, are running from the sideline watching in horror as the scene unfolds before them. Tim became a TV regular, Molly, not so much.
• Wanda, lying on the ground in a pink outfit, also became a TV character.
• Ralphie, who is partial to a backwards cap and a shirt with an "R" on it, became a TV regular, too. He's bumping into the goal.
• Joel, lying on the ground between Shirley and Wanda, was never a character in the books or in the TV series. J decided to add him on his own as "the new kid."

Here's the whole story about The Big Soccer Accident in J's words:
It was a sunny day. TV characters joined with the book characters (and a new kid) for a friendly game of soccer. (It was all Ms. Frizzle's idea.) The accident all started when Gregory kicked the ball to DA It slipped between her feet and she whirled around to get it. Carlos ran forward to get the ball when he "knuckle-sandwiched" Shirley. DA whirled too quickly, tripped over Shirley's leg, and fell on Carlos.
Meanwhile, Phoebe was sympathetically watching the action as was Gregory. Neither one was looking where they were going and smacked into each other. Very painfully.
Arnold (not pictured, but a TV character) was rushing toward the goal. Ralphie was backing away from the charging Arnold, and bumped into the goal as Tim and Molly were doing their own running.
Wanda and Joel (the new kid) decided it was best just to hit the ground with all the chaos going on.
The ball? It was relaxing near the goal. Clearly it was delighting in the fact that it was NOT part of the action.
So, did you feel all the excitement? Did you vicariously experience the pain? Are you wondering if they were all OK? Don't worry, J will answer that in his next drawing.