Franklin Plays the Game by Paulette Bourgeois
A gentle Franklin story about teamwork that suits young kids starting a team sport.
The short version
- Children aged about 3 to 8
- Kids joining a first soccer or other team sport
- Parents and teachers who want a story about cooperation
- Your child is under 3 and needs a shorter board book
- You want a story about winning and competition
What owners like
- Clear message about teamwork and sportsmanship
- Warm, colourful illustrations
- Useful for teachers and parents opening a talk about working together
Common complaints
- Some adults feel it treats losing too lightly
- Adult characters give general advice rather than real help
- A little long for very young children
Based on The Kids Can Press product page, 49th Shelf, Bookroo and themes from Goodreads reader reviews..
Research scores
Scored from the maker's specs and what owners report. Drew's own notes and photos will refine these.
Ownership
Drew's hands-on notes for this product are on the way. Long-term updates will be added to this timeline.
What it does
A 32 page Franklin the Turtle picture book in which Franklin's soccer team cannot score until the players learn to work together.
- Part of the Franklin Classic Storybooks series
- Themes of cooperation, sport, family and friends, per the publisher
- Short enough for a read aloud of under ten minutes, per Bookroo
- Full colour illustrations by Brenda Clark
A good pick for preschool and early school readers, especially children starting a team sport, since the story is built around teamwork and sportsmanship. Some adult readers find the ending celebrates trying over winning a little too gently, and it can feel long for the youngest listeners.
How it compares
Specs
- Author
- Paulette Bourgeois
- Illustrator
- Brenda Clark
- Publisher
- Kids Can Press
- First published
- 1995
- Length
- 32 pages
- Ages
- 3 to 8, preschool to grade 3, per 49th Shelf
- Reading level
- Lexile 550L, guided reading level K, per Kids Can Press
- Formats
- 1995 hardcover (ISBN 9781550742541), paperback and eBook
Questions
What is Franklin Plays the Game about?
Franklin's soccer team never scores a goal until the players learn to work together, and their game improves.
What age is Franklin Plays the Game for?
Listings give ages 3 to 8, roughly preschool to grade 3.
Who illustrated Franklin Plays the Game?
Brenda Clark, who illustrated the original Franklin books.
How many pages is Franklin Plays the Game?
32 pages.
What reading level is Franklin Plays the Game?
Kids Can Press lists a Lexile of 550L and guided reading level K.
Sources
- Kids Can Press: Franklin Plays the Game
- 49th Shelf: Franklin Plays the Game
- Bookroo: Franklin Plays the Game
- Goodreads: Franklin Plays The Game
Researched 2026-10-02. We bought this product; our page is built from the maker's details and what owners report across reviews and forums. We never copy Amazon customer reviews.