Franklin the Turtle and Bear are heading to their cool-io tree fort when Harriet and Beatrice, their younger sisters, try to tag along. Though Franklin and Bear tell the girls they can't come, their mothers have a different idea. “But we were going to put our stuff in the tree fort,” Franklin says. “There will still be time for that,” says Mrs. Turtle. “Right now, you need to find something to do with your sisters — something safe. That means on the ground, Franklin.” Franklin and Bear are so disappointed. All of their friends are in the tree fort having a great time. It's not fair! Will they be able to come up with a way to have fun and watch their sisters at the same time? Younger siblings often pose a problem for children when they want to be left alone to do “big kid” stuff. In this situation, Franklin and Bear are able to find a way to engage in play that everyone enjoys and that even ends up bringing the siblings closer. As with many of the titles in this series based on the 3D-animated television show Franklin and Friends, it's a win-win solution to a typical problem faced by children in their everyday lives. This book would make an excellent choice for a character education lesson about adaptability, initiative or responsibility. The amazing ground fort the children create out of cardboard boxes could inspire some terrific structure-building classroom projects as well.
