Franklin's Birthday Party

Anne Hutchings, a former elementary-school teacher-librarian with the
Durham Board of Education, is an educational consultant.

Like previous Franklin titles, each of these four stories contains an
implicit message for children. Franklin and the Babysitter deals with
changes and adapting to new situations. In Franklin Runs Away, the young
turtle is having a really bad day—no one seems to appreciate him.
Running away seems the best solution. However, upon careful reflection,
Franklin concludes that the good times really do outweigh the bad and
decides to stay. Franklin’s Birthday Party shows the necessity and
importance of making compromises. Franklin’s Thanksgiving emphasizes
the joy of sharing with friends and family. All four books would be
excellent discussion starters. Parents and teachers could use them to
encourage children to talk about their feelings and concerns.

Franklin’s Thanksgiving is similar in format to the other books in
the Franklin series, rich in Brenda Clark’s trademark colorful,
carefully detailed illustrations. The illustrations in the three
Franklin TV Storybooks are much simpler and less detailed (more
cartoon-like), making the books in the original series more
“first-choice” purchases. Yet youngsters who enjoy watching
Franklin’s adventures on TV will undoubtedly enjoy these tie-ins as
well. All four titles are recommended.