*Franklin has a sleepover*
Written by Paulette Bourgeois and illustrated by Brenda Clark, Franklin has a sleepover is a picture book from the 'Franklin' series.
I chose to read this book because it was published when I was a child (in 1996) and the character of Franklin is still recognisable to children today. The stories were made into animation and shown on ABC when I was a child, and are still a regular ABC program. I read the story aloud to two young children to get the full effect of the book. The illustrations play a huge role in these stories as they are so detailed and really highlight the relationships between the characters. The pictures are soft and very colourful, capturing the attention of even the two year old I was reading to. A combination of illustration styles are used including half page and below is an example of a full page illustration.
One of the reasons the Franklin stories are never outdated is that the stories are always centered on a particular event that most, if not all children experience. Other titles include, 'Franklin Fibs', 'Franklin wants a pet' and 'Franklin goes to school'. This particular book is about Franklin having his friend Bear over for a sleepover, and like all first sleepover experiences, Bear is upset and homesick during the night. Franklin comforts his friend and the sleepover is a success. The way the Franklin narratives are written are always very gentle and happy. The relationships between the parents and children always have a community feel about them and there is always a moral to be learned from the stories.
I would recommend the Franklin stories to children of all ages. Young children such as those I read the book to, enjoyed the story and the illustrations and older children can learn from the morals and experiences.
One of the reasons the Franklin stories are never outdated is that the stories are always centered on a particular event that most, if not all children experience. Other titles include, 'Franklin Fibs', 'Franklin wants a pet' and 'Franklin goes to school'. This particular book is about Franklin having his friend Bear over for a sleepover, and like all first sleepover experiences, Bear is upset and homesick during the night. Franklin comforts his friend and the sleepover is a success. The way the Franklin narratives are written are always very gentle and happy. The relationships between the parents and children always have a community feel about them and there is always a moral to be learned from the stories. 
I really enjoyed this book when I was a child too, as its illustrations are bright and colour and the characters are engaging and easy to relate to. I agree with comment regarding the issues raised in these texts as throughout my childhood I enjoyed the way that the stories throughout this series helped me understand and deal with issues that all children face. Great choice Sophie!
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking of reviewing the original cartoon series and the four specials, drawing comparisons to the original books. It's been 30 years now since the very first book, so why not?
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