It hurts when I poop! A story for children who are scared to use the potty

PreS-Gr 1-Ryan is a small boy with an increasingly large problem-fear of pain as he uses the potty has created both a mental and physical block. Understanding Dr. Gold eases the child's worries by telling him a story about Bill, a coyote who never cleans up after himself. Relating the idea of a house bulging with trash to Ryan's predicament allows the physician to enlist the boy to become the "boss" of his body, much as Bill becomes the boss of cleaning up his house. A pastel palette of watercolor and ink cartoons illustrates the dinosaur-loving child and his family. Simple, labeled diagrams depict the pathway of food through the intestines and into the toilet. Written by a pediatrician, the fictionalized text creates a positive partnership between children, parents, and physicians to practice healthy eating and digestive habits. A listing of foods and their impact upon digestion, a detailed program for children suffering from constipation, and a note to parents are appended. Although not a necessity for libraries, this book would be welcomed by parents who face a similar situation or in doctors' waiting rooms.-Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.