Franklin and the Wonder
Henry Endrulat
Paperback
(Kids Can Press, Sept. 1, 2012)
While searching for ?a wonder of nature? to share with their class for a special school project, Franklin and Rabbit are excited to find a chrysalis hanging from the branch of a bush. When they learn that the chrysalis is the home of a caterpillar that's soon going to turn into a butterfly, they know they've found the perfect wonder! There's only one problem --- Rabbit says he can't talk about their discovery in front of the whole class. He's afraid that everyone will laugh at him. ?Sometimes when I'm scared, practicing what scares me helps,? Franklin suggests. And he devises a creative, not scary way for Rabbit to practice ahead of time so that he'll be prepared. But will practicing be enough to help Rabbit get over his fear? As with many of the books in this series based on the 3D-animated television show Franklin and Friends, this book provides a model for dealing with a real problem --- the fear of public speaking --- faced by small children. This book offers just the right starting point for classroom discussions about all kinds of fears, or for a character education lesson on empathy or caring. It's also a perfect introduction to a similar science project in which children can head outdoors and discover their own wonder of nature to share.
K