HURRY UP, FRANKLIN Paulette Bourgeois. Illustrated by Brenda Clark. Toronto, ON:Kids Can Press, 1989. 32pp., cloth, $10.95. ISBN 0-921103-68-9. CIP. Subject Headings: Surprise-Juvenile fiction. Turtles-Juvenile fiction. Preschool-grade 2 / Ages 3-7 Reviewed by Hazel Birt. Volume 17 Number 5 1989 September "Franklin could slide down a river bank all by himself. He could count forwards and backwards. He could zip zippers and button buttons - but Franklin was slow, even for a turtle." Thus begins Paulette Bourgeois's delightful new book about Franklin, a tiny turtle who, in Franklin in the Dark ¹, was afraid to sleep in his shell. This earlier book found fans around the world who could relate to what the author believes is a human condition for all ages - fear. In this new book, Hurry Up Franklin, we find Franklin struggling with a new problem: he is determined not to be late for a birthday party. Inviting detours keep popping up along the way, however. The chance to play leap-frog with Rabbit, slip and slide in the mud with Otter and maybe hide-and-seek with Fox prove a great temptation. How he manages to arrive on time and even help Snail along the way proves a heart-warming story. Brenda Clark's appealing, well-rendered illustrations in full colour are a delight. My favourite is the one of Franklin bending over the weeping snail, sympathetic tears streaming from his own eyes. Clark is on tour in Canada as an illustrator of children's books. She also illustrated Puddleman ² and Big Sarah's Little Boots ³. We look forward to more of these well bound, sure-to-be favourites of young readers - books from Bourgeois and Clark. Hazel Birt, Winnipeg, MB. ¹ Reviewed vol. XV/2 March 1987, p.77. ² Reviewed vol. XII/1 January 1984, p.35. ³ Reviewed vol. XVI/2 March 1988, p.56.