Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Lewison (Raindrop, Plop) introduces a little prince who refuses to shed his diapers, in a paper-over-board tale with a rather confusing message. His parents are "worried that the prince would be wearing diapers forever and ever-even when he became king himself. And that would never do." The Royal Wise Man offers an enigmatic solution: "Go get the prince a puppy." When the boy sees how everyone cheers for the pet when it finally pees "where a puppy should go." (Would-be dog owners beware: the royals teach the pup to go on a cloth, placed over what appears to be carpeting.) "Suddenly, the prince had to go too. Did he go in his diaper?... Of course not-that's silly! So where did go? He went where a prince should go." To underscore this point, Motoyama (Countdown to Thanksgiving) shows the prince in action: his back is turned to the audience, but a discreet (and appropriately giggle-inducing) stream can be seen emanating from his body directly into the royal potty. Parents may balk at a potty-training parable that involves the acquisition of a puppy. But couched with the proper introduction, this chipper economical tale, with its gentle bathroom humor and velvety-hued acrylics, may be just the ticket to induce readers to put their own pull-ups away for good. Ages 1-4. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-A young prince insists that his potty "doesn't please" him, leading his poor parents to envision him as a diapered king. At the advice of the Royal Wise Man, they get the boy a puppy, and seeing how the animal learns to do its business on a cloth inspires the prince to use his potty after all. The book ends with a grand celebration of his accomplishment. Motoyama's colorful cartoon illustrations lend life to this shallow tale, but the facile solution is likely to frustrate parents and youngsters alike.-Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Boys had to wait 12 years, but their potty book has finally arrived, and it was well worth the wait. This time, Lewison uses the housebreaking of a puppy to draw a parallel to the Prince's own potty-training. When the Prince turns up his nose at his potty, his parents consult the Royal Wise Man. He proposes the unorthodox solution of getting the Prince a puppy. The Prince is closely involved in teaching the puppy to use his cloth rather than leave puddles throughout the castle. When he finally goes where a puppy should, the Queen and Prince cheer him. Needless to say, the Prince makes the connection and gets cheers of his own. The illustrator change will be a seamless transition for children familiar with both books--Motoyama's illustrations mirror Brown's, with brightly colored depictions of castle life and wide-eyed characters. A must for every library and toddler boy. (Picture book. 1-5) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
