Industry veteran releases children’s book on forklift and safety education

Just in time for the holidays, a new children’s book aims to promote safety, teamwork and industriousness.

Published in Memphis by Wimmer Books, Frankie Forklift and Friends is written by Frank Clark, vice president of forklift dealer The Lilly Company and director of Embrace Safety, and illustrated by Lilly Scheibelhut. Clark intends to publish a series of 8-10 books introducing more than 20 characters a forklift might meet in a warehouse, including Petie Pallet, Tony Towmotor and Sally Shrink Wrapper.

“I have worked in the material handling business for about 25 years,” Lilly said. “I would make up stories at night for my 4-year-old twins and tell them about Frankie Forklift. On the weekends, we sometimes went up to our warehouse to ride around on a forklift they called Frankie. One night, one of my boys asked if he could read the book, and Frankie Forklift and Friends was born.”

There are several indirect lessons as well, from the importance of brushing teeth and picking up toys to the concept of “haste makes waste.”

“Since there are more than two million forklift operators and probably another 20 million people who work in warehousing, I believe that most anyone will find the stories useful and the characters endearing,” Lilly said.

Frankie Forklift and Friends may be purchased at Frankieforklift.com for $13.95. Free downloadable coloring pages are also available.