Time to Pee!

 

Time to Pee! Mo Willems. New York: Hyperion Books for Children, 2003. 34 pages. $12.99 (Hardcover). ISBN 978-078681868-6. Preschool.

The pigeon may not be making an appearance in this particular Mo Willems title, but his quirky illustrations and fun style are still present. An army of helpful mice takes the nervous children step by step to using the bathroom, while causing lots of commotion and fun along the way. Willems uses street signs, traffic directing, parades, celebrations, and other fun scenes to make a daunting task seem less scary and difficult.  Both boys and girls get a visual description, words of encouragement, and how to’s. Of course the example in the story itself is a successfully completed, but Willems is realistic and tells kids “Don’t worry if you don’t get it right the first time, you’ll get another chance.”  There may be many potty training books out there, but this one is a notch above the rest. In addition to a fun guiding story, Willems include a success chart and stickers with this book, making it an ideal tool for parents to purchase. While the story and steps to using the bathroom won’t change, the illustrations are busy and fun enough to encourage multiple readings. Highly Recommended