This summer, we deemed CJ to be officially potty trained. Surviving umpteen thousand miles in the car without a single accident - I can’t think of a better gauntlet to lay down as a measure of success.

Even so, she still has her moments. Which cause me to have my moments.

Which is why I’m glad to have a copy of Once Upon a Potty to reinforce the lessons I thought she learned back in July.

Once Upon a Potty is a board book and audio CD that comes in both girl and boy editions. The cover is so durable - I wish all of our kids’ board books had a cover like that one. The illustrations are simple, but with charming details that bring Prudence - our potty heroine - and her long-suffering mother to life.

The story is a basic one - from diapers to potty - but the language is what makes this book so entertaining for parents. It just begs to be read with a British accent. Considering how much potty training paraphernalia we parents are bombarded with, a book with a good dose of humor like Once Upon a Potty is a welcome breath of fresh air. Pun intended.

In the past few months, CJ has really begun to enjoy reading, and she’s now added Once Upon a Potty to her regular repertoire. She names off all of her body parts too and laughs at the different ideas of how to use the potty. But the part that I think really helps kids make a connection is how Prudence loves her potty even more after she makes “wee-wee” and “poo-poo” in it. Just a small taste of success can be a fantastic motivator, for kids and adults alike.

CJ and I still have our moments, those when I sigh exasperatedly and direct her to change her clothes. But now we just sit down for another reading of Once Upon a Potty.

For more reviews of Once Upon a Potty, check out the review schedule at PBN!