Paulette Bourgeois facts for kids

Paulette Bourgeois, CM (born July 20, 1951) is a Canadian writer. She is most famous for creating the character Franklin the Turtle. Franklin appears in many popular picture books illustrated by Toronto artist Brenda Clark. These books have sold over 60 million copies around the world. They have also been translated into 38 different languages. Franklin's adventures have been made into an animated TV series, movies, and various toys and products.

About Paulette Bourgeois

Paulette Bourgeois was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She has always loved writing and telling stories. She has two grown-up children, Natalie and Gordon. Today, she lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Her Education and Early Jobs

Paulette first studied at the University of Western Ontario. She earned a degree in Occupational therapy in 1974. For three years, she worked as an occupational therapist, helping people with different needs.

After that, she decided to follow her passion for writing. She studied journalism at Carleton University. Then, she worked as a reporter for the Ottawa Citizen newspaper and for CBC Television. She later became a freelance journalist, which means she wrote for many different magazines and newspapers on her own. She wrote for popular magazines like Chatelaine and Reader's Digest. In 2009, she earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from the University of British Columbia.

The Story of Franklin the Turtle

Paulette Bourgeois got the idea for Franklin the Turtle after her first child, Natalie, was born. She was inspired by an episode of the TV show M*A*S*H. In that episode, a character said he would be afraid of his own shell if he were a turtle. This made Paulette think about a turtle who was afraid of small, dark places, even his own shell.

The first Franklin book, Franklin in the Dark, was published in 1986. It was illustrated by Brenda Clark. This book became very popular and led to many more stories about Franklin and his friends.

Other Books and Works

Besides the Franklin series, Paulette Bourgeois has written many other books for children. Some of her well-known books include Oma's Quilt and Big Sarah's Little Boots. Oma's Quilt was even made into a short film by the National Film Board of Canada.

She has also written many non-fiction books for kids. These include the "Amazing series" and the "In My Neighbourhood" series. She wrote books about space, like The Sun and The Moon.

Paulette has also written for adults. She was a columnist for Homemaker's Magazine and wrote for other magazines like Canadian Living. She even helped with research for a TV show called The Nature of Things and wrote episodes for the documentary series Creepy Canada.

In 2009, the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists asked Paulette to write a book about their work. She wrote You, Me and My OT. This book tells the story of a girl named Emma who has cerebral palsy and how an occupational therapist helps her.

Awards and Recognition

Paulette Bourgeois has received several important awards for her work.

• In 2003, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada. This is one of the highest honors a Canadian citizen can receive.
• In 2007, her old university, the University of Western Ontario, gave her an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
• She also received an Award of Merit from the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists.

Selected Books

• On Your Mark, Get Set ...: All About the Olympics Then and Now (1987)
• The Amazing Apple Book (1987)
• The Amazing Paper Books (1989)
• Starting with Space: The Sun (1995)
• Starting with Space: The Moon (1995)
• Oma's Quilt (2001)