| Franklin in the Dark (book) | |
 | |
| Author | Paulette Bourgeois |
| Illustrator | Brenda Clark |
| Publication date | August 11, 1986 |
| Published by | Kids Can Press |
| ISBN | 0590445065 |
| Publication Order | |
| Preceded by |
Followed by Hurry Up, Franklin |
Franklin in the Dark was the very first Franklin the Turtle book ever written. Originally published on August 11, 1986, it, like most other Franklin books, was written by Paulette Bourgeois and illustrated by Brenda Clark. Notably, due the unique nature of the story in relation to the other Franklin stories, the only regular characters featured within it are Franklin himself and his mother Mrs. Turtle.
It was later adapted into the television story "Franklin in the Dark," which adds Mr. Turtle to the story.
A 25th anniversary edition of the title was published on February 1, 2011. The 25th anniversary edition includes letters from both Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark, early drafts and sketches, and an overview of the Franklin franchise including a history and an overview of merchandise releases.
According to Bourgoeis's original notes for the story, it was originally titled The Turtle They Called Chicken and included a plotline of Franklin being teased by his friends and called "chicken" in addition to him being afraid of the dark. Her editor suggested it would be better to focus on just one problem and she agreed. Franklin's fear was inspired by the character of "Hawkeye" Pierce. from the series M*A*S*H, from the line "Can you imagine me as a turtle? Afraid to get into my own shell?" of the episode "C*A*V*E." Furthemore, the character's full name is Benjamin Franklin Pierce, resulting in the naming of the Franklin Turtle character, who is known as "Benjamin" in French-Canadian releases.
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