Lauren's Review:

I read Franklin's Valentines by Paulette Bourgeois on February 13, 2012.
Publisher Name: Open Road Media; Imprint: Kids Can Press

From Goodreads:

The Valentine's Day Party has begun at last, but Franklin lost his cards on the way to school. As his pile of valentines begins to grow. Franklin feels bad that he has none to give in return. But in the true spirit of the day, everyone assures Franklin they don't need a valentine to know they're his friends.

1. What was your favorite part of the book?

When Franklin was making his Valentine's Day cards in the beginning of the book.

2. Was this book funny, sad, silly, or boring?

This book was kind of sad in the middle, but was very happy at the end. Franklin knew he had very good friends and that he was a good friend to them.

3. Who was your favorite character?

Franklin.

4. Would you tell your friends to read this book?

Yes, 'cause it's at my school.

Mom's Review:

Franklin's Valentines teaches a great lesson: Friendships exist and thrive because of our love for one another - not because of the gifts we give. As a parent of a young child, this message is important and this book beautifully illustrates how friendship transcends the desire for things. Our friends love us because of the happy way we make them feel when we're together!

I appreciate Franklin's concern that his friends might be hurt that he didn't give them their valentine cards, and impressed greater still by his initiative to create cards for "Friendship Day" which he declares can be any day they like. What a great role model for taking a sad and disappointing situation and turning it around into an opportunity to display gratitude and take on an alternative perspective when things didn't quite go his way. ( )

This is a book about Franklin losing his Valentine's Day cards. All of his friends give him one anyway. It makes him happy that they are his friends and gave him one anyway, but it makes him feel sad he does not have one to give them. The next day he brings in homemade friendship cards and says it is Friendship day because that can be any day they want. This would be a good book to read around Valentine's Day.