What parents need to know
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this series has strong positive messages about friendship, family relationships, problem-solving, and citizenship. The diverse cast of animals will be familiar to anyone who's seen the show's predecessor, Franklin, or met the characters in the books that inspired the shows. Although Franklin and his pals are slightly more grown-up in this incarnation, they're still open to learning new things, discovering the world around them, and expressing themselves in creative ways, all of which set admirable examples for kids.
What's the story?
FRANKLIN AND FRIENDS is the second TV show based on the friendly woodland characters from the popular children's books by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark. This series follows a more grown-up and confident Franklin (voiced by Graeme Jokic) and his neighborhood friends as they experience the ups and downs of life through their daily adventures at school and at play. Familiar faces like Snail, Rabbit, Beaver, and Bear return with Franklin, as does his family, plus a new character named Aunt T, who teaches Franklin about expressing himself.
Is it any good?
Preschoolers have long enjoyed the endearing characters and delightful stories of Franklin, and this vibrant CGI series just enhances what was already so well done in the original show. In fact, the characters' personalities need no embellishment at all , and kids who already know them from the books or TV show will find the transition to this show a natural one.
While Franklin and his pals are older and wiser now, they still hit bumps in the road and have to solve the problems they encounter. This is great news for their young fans, who get to see how they work through squabbles with one other and troubles that pop up along the way. Even better, the young characters have a ready pool of grown-ups available to offer guidance when it's needed to make responsible decisions that illustrate their commitment to friendship, community, social skills, and good citizenship.
Families can talk about...
Families can talk about friendship. How do Franklin and his friends show that they value their friends? How do they cope with troubles that arise between them? What qualities are important to you in your friends?
Kids: How do the characters set good examples when they solve problems? How do they use teamwork to come up with a solution? What do they do when they disagree?
Who are some of your favorite characters from books? Are they also on TV? How does meeting a character in a book rather than on TV inspire your imagination about him or her?