Harriet Turtle is Franklin Turtle's 3-year-old little sister (4 in Franklin and Friends). She adores her big brother. He took care of her by feeding her, cleaning up after her, hugging her, sleeping with her whenever she had nightmares and sang her lullabies to help her fall asleep. When she was sad or scared, Franklin would cheer her up to help her be happy again. She also loved to play with her best friends, Beatrice Bear and Kit Beaver, and showed acts of kindness towards them. She was voiced by Bryn McAuley in the original series and Camden Angelis in Franklin and Friends.
Description[]
Harriet was depicted as being born in the film Franklin and the Green Knight. Her impending arrival is depicted as a source of much anticipation for Franklin, but also worry. Ultimately, he accepts the idea of becoming a big brother, and names her after Great Aunt Harriet when she still does not have a name after Mrs. Turtle returns from the hospital. This story is loosely based on the book release Franklin's Baby Sister.
In the special Franklin's Magic Christmas, Harriet has aged up to be around 2-3 years old, despite Franklin and his friends seemingly remaining the same age. The story deals with Franklin coming to accept Harriet, despite Harriet sometimes upsetting him by doing things like taking his favorite stuffed toy, Sam. The two bond after taking a ride on a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer, which are implied to be Santa's reindeer. Franklin finally agrees to let Harriet play with Sam, so long as he can get him back by bedtime, as "there's only so much sharing a big brother can do." The central premise of the story is loosely based on the book Franklin and Harriet.
Beginning with the fifth season, Harriet is a regular character in the Franklin series. Once again, she seems slightly older, despite Franklin and his friends remaining the same age. Throughout the fifth and sixth seasons, Franklin is shown being a good big brother to Harriet by doing things such as helping to teach her and allowing her to be part of his activities.
In Back to School with Franklin, Harriet struggles with her regular playmate, Beatrice, attending school. She makes a new friend, Beaver's brother Kit, but accidentally injures him when she is too rough with him on the playground. When Franklin sees that she is going through a tough time, he gives her his favorite blue blankie and she later lends it to Kit.
In Franklin and Friends, Harriet has once again matured slightly and aged up to be 4 years old, though Franklin and the others have as well. In this series, Harriet and Beatrice appear to be the same age and are once again regular playmates. Harriet now appears in the program's intro sequence.
Personality[]
Harriet is generally seen to be happy, and very much, enjoys the company of older brother, Franklin, her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Turtle, and her friend, Beatrice. She is very playful, and likes to have fun a lot, something that Franklin, more-or-less, could take advantage of.
She looks up to Franklin a lot, and commonly tries to do, or understand what he does, and sometimes finds it hard to realize when she is poking at her elder brother's nerves, though it has never been anything too serious. She can be very guilty of actions that have majorly upset others, and will usually ask for forgiveness (e.g., in "Franklin Forgives", the Turtle family were by a lake, and Harriet accidentally knocked over Franklin's fish bowl, which contained his pet fish, Goldie, who had fell into the lake, and tried to say she was sorry multiple times, and offered to help look for Goldie by the lake, but it took about three days for Franklin to fully forgive her).
Since Harriet is 3 years old, she acts like the usual baby/toddler-type character in portrayal, but can show hues of more mature personality traits sometimes.
After her birth, she is shown to be walking, and brandishes a developing vocabulary that consists of basic words, and 2 to 3-word phrases, of which one of the words is her older brother's misspoken name ("Fwankin" when she says Franklin's name). In the 2011 series, Harriet can talk in full sentences and her speaking has improved, dropping her speech style from the original series.
She can be quite reliant on her brother, but also enjoys a modest-for-age amount of independence, and isn't afraid to express in the best manner she can, when she feels like she is being restrained.
Appearance[]
Harriet looks similar to her older brother Franklin, but is much shorter and is typically depicted wearing a purple bow atop her head. In the original Franklin series, her skin is a lighter shade of green than either Franklin or their parents, with the front of her shell a brighter yellow. In Franklin and Friends, however, there is no visible distinction, with the Turtle family all sporting a skin tone similar to that of Harriet from the original series.
Catchphrases[]
- "Fwankin!" (many times, to Franklin; 1997 series)
- "Yay!" (2011 series)
- "Thank you, Franklin!" (to Franklin; 2011 series)
- "Hi, Bea!" (to Bea; 2011 series)
Trivia[]
- Harriet can play the xylophone.[1]
Gallery[]
