Franklin

Franklin is a Canadian-American children's television series, based on a series of books by Brenda Clark (illustrator) and Paulette Bourgeois (writer). The television series was named after its main character, Franklin the Turtle. In the Canadian French version, the cartoon shorts are presented with the title character of Benjamin and a similar theme song.

The series first aired on Nickelodeon in 1997, and at one point, six seasons had been produced, but only the first four were widely available, as the fifth had only been available on Canada's Family Channel. The television series is produced by Nelvana Entertainment; the books have been published by Scholastic. From 2000 until 2002, it moved to CBS In 2003, Nickelodeon was the main United States broadcaster for the series, but then the new Noggin digital cable/satellite channel for preschoolers started to show all four seasons of Franklin, introducing the show to American preschoolers (many of whom were already familiar with the books). The show immediately became very popular in the U.S. and the fifth season was soon added to the Noggin line-up. This season had previously been available only in other markets, which the exception of a couple stories available on commercial video. Until recently, the sixth season has not aired on Noggin, but it began on New Year's Day 2006 with two episodes and a new one airing each day throughout the week. Airings of the program continue regularly as of ongoing.

In October, 2000, Franklin's little sister Harriet was introduced in the direct-to-video and DVD movie Franklin and the Green Knight. The two shared an adventure in 2001 in Franklins Magic Christmas. In 2003, Harriet had grown quite a bit and Franklin learned new things from a substitute teacher named Mrs. Koala in the new release Back to School with Franklin. While Franklin was learning things in school, Harriet was learning how to make friends when she met Beavers little brother, Kit. In May 2004, brand-new episodes of the series began airing on a Canadian network called Treehouse TV. Franklin and many of his friends had new voice actors in these new adventures, but many of the show's strongest writers and staff-members remained on board. These new stories saw Franklin facing a flood, worries about the old treehouse and earning a badge in a group called the Woodland Trailblazers. For the sixth season Funbag and other animation studios joined in the development of Franklin. The most recent movie for the series is Franklin and the Turtle Lake Treasure. The film was written by John van Bruggen and directed by Dominique Monféry. The 75-minute long film premiered in theaters in 2006 and had its debut on Noggin on New Year's Eve, 2007, as part of a celebration of the network's conversion to a 24/7 format.

Franklin is a growing young turtle who, as his television stories and books always begin, "...could count by twos and tie his shoes". He goes to school, lives in a small village with his friends, and has many adventures playing and learning in the world around him - sometimes with the helping hand of an adult or his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Turtle. Franklin likes swimming, arts and crafts (especially drawing), and loves shoofly pie. He's been known to be afraid of the dark, and of thunderstorms.

Many Franklin television stories are based on books in the original Franklin Adventure series, including Franklin in the Dark and Hurry Up, Franklin. The practice of adapting television stories from books was dropped in the program's second season, though elements and dialogue from some of the books are incorporated into latter stories. On the flip side, many Franklin television stories have been made into books in the Franklin TV Storybook and Franklin First Readers series. Usually written by Sharon Jennings, these adaptations are shortened versions of what's seen on TV and may contain non-canon material.