Dr. Tennelli is Ralphie's mother. She's a pediatrician, pulling that card to keep Ralphie home and in bed in "Inside Ralphie," despite his desperation to get to school. She seems to have an easygoing and playful relationship with her son, rolling her eyes at his bad jokes. She appears in "Inside Ralphie," "Going Batty," and is seen in "Rocks and Rolls." Her husband is mentioned in "Gets Eaten" and "The Good, The Bad, and The Gnocchi".
Personality[]
Dr. Tennelli is very much like a normal, caring mother. She does look out for her son while raising him as a single parent and also having a busy work life of her own.
She seems to be mature and is respectful towards Professor Frizzle. She knows that Ralphie and his class go on a lot of exciting field trips, but it's not known if she knows the intensity of them, whether it's going back in time, shrinking and going inside the human body, or getting eaten. Like Ralphie, she says "Is it just me, or..." implying it runs in the family.
Appearances[]
Appears in[]
- Inside Ralphie
- Going Batty
- Ups and Downs (mention)
- Rocks and Rolls (cameo)
- Sees Stars (mention)
- Frizzle of the Future (mention)
- The Magnetic Mambo (mention)
- Kids in Space (mention)
Trivia[]
- She is one of the few family members who doesn't physically appear in the original season 4 and The Magic School Bus Rides Again.
- As the handbook to the main series reveals Ralphie's stepbrother, she has possibly divorced.
| Parents | Mr. Perlstein | Mrs. Perlstein | Mr. Hudson | Mrs. Hudson | Mr. Ramon | Mrs. Franklin | Mr. Terese | Dr. Tennelli | Mrs. Li |
|---|---|
| Siblings/Cousins | Murph* | Evan Hudson | |
| Friends | Professor Cornelia C. Contralto II* | R.U. Humerus* | Dr. Skeledon* | Molly Cule* | |
| Pets | Wanda's Dog* | Noodles |
| Other Characters | Mr. Seedplot* | The Baker* | Mr. Junkett* | Harry Herp* | Gerri Poveri** | |
| Tennelli family |
|---|
| Major: Ralphie • Dr. Tennelli (mother) • Aunt Tennelli • Tina (cousin) • Tony (cousin) • Noodles (pet) Minor/Mentioned: Mr. Tennelli (father) • Nonna Tennelli (grandmother) • Grandpa • Brian (uncle) • Ed (uncle) • Ralphie's stepbrother |