Product Description

The classic books on a timeless subject -- for a new generation.

In 1975, Alona Frankel wrote and illustrated her first book, especially for her son Michael, on how to use the potty. Thirty-two years later, Once Upon a Potty -- Boy and Once Upon a Potty -- Girl are the classic books on potty training and have sold more than four million copies worldwide. These children's books help parents everywhere deal successfully with an often vexing challenge for the whole family.

Thanks to their timeless words and beloved images, Once Upon a Potty -- Boy and Once Upon a Potty -- Girl are being discovered and used by a new generation of parents. These two books, with their phenomenal staying power, target and meet the needs of an obviously perpetual market.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4495 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 40 pages

Review
Your child will be empowered by Joshua as he learns to use his new potty. (us.pampers.com )

From the Author
Dear Fellow-Parents,

Once Upon a Potty is best used as a companion volume to a child's new potty. I wrote this book when my own child was toilet training to help him better understand the process. My son was encouraged and excited by this story. It motivated him to make the developmental leap from diaper to potty.

Learning to use the potty is often a lengthy process, taxing the patience of both parent and child. When success finally comes--and it should come in its own good time, without undue pressure or haste--it enhances the child's confidence and pride. He has taken another step toward independence. He sat on the potty as a little child and got up feeling ten-feet tall.

It's one small step for mankind, but a giant one for your family.

Love,
Alona

About the Author

Alona Frankel is the author and illustrator of 30 children's books. Her characters "Joshua" and "Prudence" from the Potty books have gone onto star in other stories and in videos and instruction books.

Customer Reviews

A super little book for boys and their pottys
I love everything about this tiny book featuring Joshua and his new potty. To begin with, the illustrations are bright and eye catching. But the very best part of the book is the cler and simple language that the author uses to tell the story. As a first-time mom, I had no idea how to speak to my son about using his little potty chair or what to say about the fluids, etc., coming out of his body. I also found myself very frustrated at the end of a long day, cleaning up an unexpected mess or changing yet another pair of training pants. However, by using the language in the book, and repeating Joshua's mother's kind words about "accidents", I was able to keep my cool and not make potty training any harder for my son. It's nice to see a potty book that shows a child having accidents occasionally but still succeeding. It's also nice to have words to explain to a small child what the new potty is and not to be scared of it. I'm actually logged on today to buy another copy for a friend! Love this book!!!

I really disliked this book!
I hate to be so negative, but I did NOT like this book. Here are my primary criticisms, in no particular order.

1) The tone of the book is strange to me. The author says things like "Ever since Joshua was born, he has been making wee-wee and poo-poo into his diaper, and I, his mother have been changing him." She says things like this over and over again. It seems like she is complaining about all of the diaper changes. And where's dad? Given the wierd tone of the book, you're half expecting her to launch into an attack on the dead-beat dad of this good-for-nothing kid that keeps wee-weeing everywhere and wasting her time. :) OK, I'm exaagerating, but its just a little wierd to me.

2) She actually uses terms like "a pee-pee for making wee-wee". We raised out son to say penis and pee, so this seems absurdly babyish to me. Something more neutral would've been better.

3) As others have noted, the potty is not a standard potty chair, but a pitcher with a handle. I don't get the point of that.

A much cuter book, IMO, is Joanna Cole's My Big Boy Potty. I think its more upbeat, less strange and more useful. And she even includes helpful potty training tips at the end.

Unsure
I like the straightforward way the book explains the learning process behind potty training. However, I'm very put off by the "potty", which is, in actuality, a pot. Historically accurate, yes, but hardly applicable to today's world. My son, after reading the book several times, pointed to the giant potted tree we have in the living room, looked at me and said "Potty?"

Um, no, honey.

I also have started from a very young age with my boys teaching them anatomically correct words for their body parts. We use "stomach", "penis", and "buttocks" or "bottom". I really dislike the usage of the words "pee pee", "poo poo" and "wee wee".

I understand this is personal preference, but if your preferences are like mine, you should know.