Franklin Says I Love You by Paulette Bourgeois
A gentle Mother's Day picture book for preschoolers, a little slow for older children.
The short version
- Children ages 3 to 8 who like Franklin
- Families looking for a Mother's Day or birthday read aloud
- Early readers around grade 2 practicing on their own
- Teachers covering family, gratitude or gift giving
- Your child is past the picture book stage
- Your child finds quiet, slow stories dull
- You want a book about a dad or another family member
What owners like
- A sweet fit for Mother's Day or a parent's birthday
- Shows children that kindness and effort matter more than a bought gift
- Warm illustrations that suit young listeners
- Easy for children to relate to wanting to do something nice for a parent
Common complaints
- Some parents find the story slow
- Can feel dated or too simple for children around age 6 and up
Based on Goodreads reader reviews, the Kids Can Press product page, the OverDrive ebook listing and the Wikipedia entry on the Franklin series.
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 about Franklin looking for the right birthday gift for his mother.
- Franklin asks his friends for gift ideas for his mother's birthday
- He ends up doing it all: breakfast in bed, a homemade brooch, a drawing and fresh cut flowers
- The story closes on a hug and the words I love you as the best gift
- One of the last original Franklin books by Bourgeois and Clark
- Same art style as the rest of the Franklin series and its TV adaptations
A gentle, low cost pick for Mother's Day or a parent's birthday, for children in the preschool to grade 2 range who already know Franklin. Its message that saying I love you counts more than a bought present lands well with young listeners, though some parents find it slow and a little dated for children past the early picture book stage.
How it compares
Specs
- Author
- Paulette Bourgeois
- Illustrator
- Brenda Clark
- Publisher
- Kids Can Press
- First published
- 2002
- Series
- Franklin Classic Storybooks
- Pages
- 32
- Formats sold by the publisher
- Paperback and ebook
- ISBN
- 1554537282 (9781554537280)
- Reading level
- Lexile 560L, guided reading level K, Accelerated Reader 3.2
- Grade range
- Preschool to grade 2
- Awards
- 2003 Our Choice Award, Canadian Children's Book Centre; 2003 Children's Choices, International Reading Association (commended)
Questions
What is Franklin Says I Love You about?
Franklin wants to give his mother the perfect birthday gift. After asking friends for ideas, he does several kind things for her and tells her he loves her.
What age is Franklin Says I Love You for?
Kids Can Press lists it for preschool to grade 2.
What is the reading level?
The publisher lists Lexile 560L, guided reading level K and Accelerated Reader 3.2.
Is it a good Mother's Day book?
Readers often pick it for Mother's Day because the story centers on Franklin showing love for his mom.
Sources
- Kids Can Press: Franklin Says I Love You
- Goodreads: Franklin Says I Love You
- OverDrive: Franklin Says I Love You
- Wikipedia: Franklin the Turtle (books)
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.