Franklin in the Dark. 25th Anniversary Edition. Paulette Bourgeois. Illustrated by Brenda Clark. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2011. 48 pp., hardcover, $18.95. ISBN 978-1-55453-616-0. Subject Heading: Franklin (Fictitious character)-Juvenile literature. Preschool-grade 3 / Ages 3-8. Review by Inderjit Deogun. ***½ /4

excerpt:

Franklin could slide down a riverbank all by himself. He could count forwards and backwards. He could zip zippers and button buttons. But Franklin was afraid of small, dark places and that was a problem because …

Franklin was a turtle. He was afraid of crawling into his small, dark shell. And so, Franklin the turtle dragged his shell behind him.

Franklin is afraid. He’s certain that monsters live inside his shell. Determined to overcome his fear, Franklin sets off to find help. His journey leads him to many friends from Duck to Polar Bear. Though they fail to give Franklin a solution, they succeed in giving him an idea.

      Franklin in the Dark is a beautifully written and illustrated picture book. Paulette Bourgeois flawlessly tells the tale of a turtle that is afraid of the dark. The fear that Franklin struggles with is perfectly balanced by the soft watercolour illustrations that exude both a sense of lightness and whimsy. Bourgeois sets Franklin in the Dark apart by allowing Franklin to find the solution himself.

      The 25th anniversary edition of Franklin in the Dark is a must have. This collectible edition gives fans and newcomers a behind the scenes look into the creation of Franklin the Turtle. Readers will get to read letters from both Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark, see the original manuscript, see the original storyboard, and that’s just the beginning. No Franklin collection is complete without this anniversary edition that thanks readers for their unwavering loyalty.

Highly Recommended.

Inderjit Deogun, of Toronto, ON, is currently pursuing a career in publishing with a particular interest in children’s literature.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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