Frankie Forklift returns

Just in time for the 2016 season, an industry veteran has introduced two must-have items for material handling aficionados everywhere: a 26-page "Frankie Forklift and Friends" coloring book and a soft Frankie Forklift plush toy.

The new items are tied to the "Frankie Forklift and Friends" children's book series, which features a group of characters named Frankie Forklift, Tony Towmotor, Petee Pallet, and Sally Shrinkwrapper. The series is the brainchild of longtime logistics pro Frank Clark, vice president of forklift dealer The Lilly Co., who created the books as a way to teach lessons like "learn from your mistakes" and "slow down and do things right the first time."

The coloring book introduces 18 new characters inspired by material handling equipment, like Dudley Dump Hopper and Clarence Clamp Truck. And the founder says that there's more to come: "We will continue to bring you books in the series as well as other platforms (coloring books, plush toys, sticker books, and so much more) to inspire kids to learn about the world around them while making it fun to be part of the huge warehouse we all live in," Clark said in a release. "For those of you in the industry, Frankie Forklift says 'See you in the warehouse.'"