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Ashley Franklin is a mother, professor and author of children’s books. Most recently, the Bentonville local authored and adapted Disney’s “The Little Mermaid Make a Splash,” the new companion to the recently-premiered live-action movie, “The Little Mermaid.”
Franklin is also known for her work creating books such as “Not Quite Snow White” and “Better Together,” both of which are also picture books. Franklin and her family came to Northwest Arkansas by way of Louisiana, where they endured two floods.
“I got the news that I had been chosen by Disney to author this book. I was shocked. I actually kept double-checking to make sure the email wasn’t spam,” Franklin said, explaining that this news was a ray of sunshine during a particularly trying time after the second flood.
Representation only fuels Franklin’s fire of creating picture books. As a college professor, Franklin teaches English online, but as a mom and reader herself, she finds excitement in encouraging reading from an early age. According to Franklin, one of the ways that this is possible is through reading stories captured in picture books.
“The Little Mermaid Make a Splash” tells the classic tale of Ariel, but this time with a twist. On Amazon, Franklin’s most recent book is ranked as the No. 1 new release in children’s marine life books and has a 4.7-star rating.
Currently, Franklin is working on a new book: “Xavier’s Voice.” Other books Franklin has recently released include “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow” and “The Masjid Kamal Loves,” both of which are available for pre-order.
For more information about Franklin, “The Little Mermaid Make a Splash” and her other picture books, visit her website.
