Franklin's Secret Club (Franklin)
Paulette Bourgeois
Franklin's Secret Club (Franklin)
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Paulette Bourgeois
Illustrated by Brenda Clark
The text is written at a 1st grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
The soft creak of the tiny clubhouse door fills the air as Franklin opens it wide. The cozy space smells of warm wood and friendship, but today, some friends feel left out and upset. Can Franklin find a way to share his special place without anyone feeling small?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This picture book explores themes of friendship and inclusion as Franklin navigates feelings of exclusion among his friends due to the size of his clubhouse. Suitable for early readers aged 5 to 8, it gently addresses emotions like hurt and anger in social situations, making it a helpful tool for discussing empathy and problem-solving.
Why we rated Franklin's Secret Club (Franklin) 6LE
Franklin's Secret Club (Franklin) is written at a Level 1-2 reading level across 32 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 2.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Franklin's Secret Club (Franklin) works for readers up to grade 3.5.
We rate Franklin's Secret Club (Franklin) as 6LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, Franklin's Secret Club (Franklin) explores friendship, social situations, and children: kindergarten — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, social situations, children: kindergarten.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
6LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781550744743
- Pages
- 32
- Publisher
- Kids Can Press, Ltd.
- Published
- July 7, 1998
- Type
- Fiction