By Colleen Brunetti, M.Ed., C.H.C

Written especially for the potty training toddler who has a little trepidation about moving from the potty chair to the big potty, Teeny Totty Uses Mama’s Big Potty, by Yvonne Jones, is an adorable book that builds confidence and sets the stage for a successful transition.

The illustrations are done in a style called ‘Chibi’, meaning “little” or “cute”, which is a form of the popular Japanese Manga cartoon style. The prose is set to a nice rhyme and rhythm that will draw children in.

The book starts with the early morning routine, and lays the ground for what is to come with the very positive statement, “Today is the PERFECT day to learn something new! Something that only BIG kids can do!”

This “something” is of course transitioning to the big potty, and when Teeny Totty masters this, he will have Potty Powers! (A concept many young children are going to love!). The book goes on to talk about some common fears, such as the big seat and maybe falling in, and then addresses the fears with great strategies, such as the potty insert and a stool (we at Potty Time always recommend a stool for little feet!).

After a successful potty venture, the child is taken through the steps of FLUSH and WASH, and of course lots of praise – a perfect time to CELEBRATE! (click on the link to hear a clip of the song).

Parents may also appreciate the comprehensive list written just for them about transitioning from potty chair to potty. This list is found in the back of the book.

While this book, with its positive spin, would be just fine for any potty training method, it is especially nice to have one that addresses the sometimes dicey time going from potty chair to big potty.