Cole was born in Newark, New Jersey, the daughter of Elizabeth (Reid), a homemaker, and Mario Basilea, a house painter.

[6] Cole was nervous about starting the first Magic School Bus book, stating, "I couldn't work at all.

[11] When writing a Magic School Bus book Cole wrote the text first, then she and Degen went over each page.

[13] The Magic School Bus has enjoyed continued success and has sold millions of copies in multiple languages.

[3][14] The most recent installment in the series is The Magic School Bus Explores Human Evolution (2020).

[6] The book series was adapted into an animated TV show starring the voice of Lily Tomlin (as "Ms. Frizzle"), which ran for 3 years beginning in 1994.

In 2017, the books were adapted for a Netflix series starring the voice of Kate McKinnon (as "Fiona Felicity Frizzle"), titled The Magic School Bus Rides Again.

[3][20] Her frequent collaborator Stephanie Calmenson wrote a tribute that states: "Losing Joanna, we lose the chance to share Ms. Frizzle’s latest science adventure with children, making them laugh and helping them better understand the world they live in.

[21][22][23] The three 2020 specials of The Magic School Bus Rides Again, "Kids in Space", "The Frizz Connection" and "In the Zone" were all dedicated to her memory.