[.ca] What to Expect When You Use the Potty (ISBN 0060538015)

From Amazon.com:
Adorable Angus the Answer Dog cheerfully and respectfully guides young children through the exciting, sometimes daunting experience of potty training. An ideal read-aloud book for children who are on the verge of transitioning from diapers to big-kid underpants, this matter-of-fact book explains the process naturally and calmly. Each two-page spread asks a question: "Where do pee-pee and poop come from?" "What's a potty?" "How do I know when to go to the potty?" "Why do I have to wash my hands?" and more, each question anticipating the next. Angus answers these queries with clarity, sensitivity, and attention to age-appropriateness. Amusing and appealing pictures by Laura Rader illustrate such compelling details (well, to small children, anyway!) as where pee-pee and poop go after flushing. A paw print in each section indicates a little game or idea for young trainees. The introduction invites parents to use their own language for the terms provided, but recommends child-friendly names over highly clinical terms. Heidi Murkoff, coauthor of the bestselling pregnancy book, What to Expect When You're Expecting, writes lucidly and honestly in all the books in the tremendously appealing What to Expect series for young children, including What to Expect When Mommy's Having a Baby and What to Expect When You Go to the Doctor. Soon young readers will be "flushed" with pride at reaching another big developmental milestone! (Ages 2 to 5) --Emilie Coulter

What a disappointment:
There are very few books my 27 month old doesn't enjoy - we read two or three before bed every nite. But he has had no interest in this one, and I can't blame him. It made the whole process seem much more complicated than a 2 year old needs it to be. It raises questions that he wouldn't think of, and is really much more suited to an older child - who of course doesn't need potty training. For a toddler, it's all about accomplishment, like "I did it myself". The digestive process and waste water treatment, which are hinted at, are not where a toddler is focusing. There was no sense of a toddler's perspective in this. I have to agree with another reviewer, who thought this was simply a way to make more money off of the 'what to expect' series, which does include some very good books.

Very advanced:
I think by the time your child will understand this book he will be 6 yrs old and hoepfully potty trained! Too advanced for a 2 yr old and not enough pictures. More information than what I needed to know. I LOVE the What to Expect books for pregnancy and child rearing, but this book didn't meet those expectations!

The truth will set you free!!:
This book takes the mystery (hence some of the scariness) out of the process, and handles the subject in a matter-of-fact way. Especially good for for independant minded, strong willed toddlers!

More for parents than kids:
This cheerful and matter-of-fact book for preschoolers and their parents serves as an encouraging introduction to the mystery of potty-training. A comforting letter to parents sets the tone for the book. A friendly dog acts as a guide and narrator, offering hints, tips, and activities. The question and answer format is practical and effective. Much of the content will go over the head of two-year olds, but there are other ways than simply reading the text to share this book and generate of discussion of toilet training. The illustrations are multicultural and non-threatening. The bright colors and fluffy dog have immense appeal, and the childlike font is a well-planned design element. The book doesn't address the fears of flushing, and a bibliography for parents who need more how-to information should have been provided. Not quite as effective as Once Upon a Potty, but could be used in conjuction with the classic.

Good Reference for Parents - Not for Toddlers:
From the Word to Parents introduction to Angus the Answer Dog activities, Heidi Murkoff presents information on toilet training in a way that is both clever and comprehensive. But what would you expect from the author who also wrote What To Expect When You're Expecting, the must-read for mothers-to-be? Murkoff's potty book answers ten toddler questions about the process. Rather than read it to your toddler from cover to cover as you would a typical story book, keep it on hand as a quick reference guide. When your son asks "Where does poop go when you flush?" you can point to Laura Rader's colorful illustration of four flushing toilets leading to a big underground tank. Or when your daughter wonders how to wipe, try the activity Angus suggests and practice her technique on a doll. After reading over two dozen potty books, I think this is a good instructional guide. For similar book, read You Can Go to the Potty by Dr. Sears.