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Margaret Miller
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Joanna Cole
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Your New Potty Paperback – October 16, 1989

by Joanna Cole (Author), Margaret Miller (Illustrator)
3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 12 ratings
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A book for both parents and children about an important part of growing up

  • What are the signs that my child is physically and emotionally ready to start using the toilet?

    • How can I best prepare my child to switch to underpants?

      • How should I deal with my child's setbacks and accidents?

        Forty vivid, full-color photographs, an easy-to-read supportive text for children, and a comprehensive guide for parents answer all these questions -- and more.

Previous page
  1. Print length
    40 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    HarperCollins
  4. Publication date
    October 16, 1989
  5. Grade level
    Preschool and up
  6. Dimensions
    8 x 0.09 x 9 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0688089666
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0688089665
  9. See all details
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New in teachers' picks. More children's books by grade. New in teachers' picks. More children's books by grade.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-- Even those who seem to have an adequate number of toilet training books will want this book. It is thoughtfully constructed to answer the questions and concerns of both parents and toddlers in a low-key and loving manner. After a six-page preface which gives some helpful tips for parents, readers are treated to Miller's bright, cheery photos of children and families. They then meet Steffie, a white girl, and Ben, a black boy, both of whom are beginning to use potties. Cole includes the cold seat and the absence of performance (two common toddler concerns) in the text, as if to remind parents to take it slow and remain calm and low-key--not always an easy task. The text continues with reassuring messages about accidents (they're normal) and sleeping in diapers (it takes a while to be totally trained). The children represented come from several ethnic groups, and fathers are present as well as mothers. The text is a bit more thorough than Fred Rogers' Going to the Potty (Putnam, 1986) but carries the same reassuring tone. This is certain to be a big hit with parents and deservedly so, since it treats one of parents' and children's big milestones in an understanding manner. --Joanna G. Jones, formerly at Hunterdon County Library, Flemington, NJ
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Joanna Cole is the author of the popular Magic School Bus series, I'm a Big Brother, I'm a Big Sister, and many other award-winning books. In Asking About Sex & Growing Up, she provides a reassuring blend of practical guidance and scientific fact for the audience that needs it most.



Margaret Miller is a freelance photographer who lives in New York city with her husband and two children. She is the author-photographers of many popular books for children, and the photographer for Ramona: Behind the Scenes of a Television Show, My Puppy Is born, and other books.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins (October 16, 1989)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0688089666
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0688089665
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 0.09 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 12 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Margaret Miller

    Margaret Miller

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  2. Joanna Cole

    Joanna Cole

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    Joanna Cole s a former elementary school teacher and librarian and a frequent contributor to Parents magazine. Joanna Cole lives in Connecticut.

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Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
12 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Ekj
5.0 out of 5 stars Dated but a great option with realistic photos
Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2023
My daughter enjoys this potty book very much. It is dated but it covers the differences between boys and girls, using correct terminology, cleaning up accidents, and is interactive with the way it asks questions. She is 25 months and likes to read this as she uses the restroom. I favor this one over the Fred Rogers book which is a another dated realistic book that she really enjoys.
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Zinna
3.0 out of 5 stars book
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2019
Verified Purchase
ok for potty training
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Amy S.
5.0 out of 5 stars Get "Your New Potty" For Your Totty
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2011
I just recently raved about another potty training book, courtesy of Sesame Street and a writer who probably had to go through the whole "Potty Training 101" deal. I totally forgot about this book, which could possibly be even better than the Sesame Street book that I just mentioned...but that's my opinion, not my tot's. This book is simple and direct. I have recently read that children learn better through photos as opposed to illustrations, so that's another plus for this book. It has "Notes to Parents" in the beginning of the book, and it even has a "How to Use This Book" section, both of which were helpful to me with my first child's potty endeavors. Yes, the book is dated, but I doubt that a kid will say, "Hey, Mommy, why is the decor in the photos so '89?". Kids will not notice, and it will not affect them if they even did. "Steffie" and "Ben" are not four or five...just compare the tikes to their parents- size-wise, they look the age at which most kids begin potty training, which is threeish. Besides, Steffie has a lot of hair, so that might throw one off when judging her age (my three-year-old is petite and still has the whole baby-hair thing going on; she looks younger than she actually is). The fact that they have setbacks and are not potty trained completely by the end of the book is realistic, and I am glad that those facts are stated in the book- I would not want my child to feel like she has to be the "Wonder Woman" of the potty world, or compare herself to the tots in this book and feel inadequate in relation to their potty experiences. I do not want to rush my child and have her become the female version of G.G. Allin later in life. (Please note: my first daughter's speech therapist suggested to me that I train her early, and I tried, with dire consequences. Plus, we discovered much later that she had high-functioning autism, which added to her training delay. I have so been there.) This book should be a staple in any bathroom with a potty.
2 people found this helpful
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Rena
1.0 out of 5 stars Not very helpful and way out-dated
Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2014
Verified Purchase
No it was very old school and different than what I expected. I wanted to send it back but I didn't bother being that I got it used and mainly paid for shipping.
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Amy
5.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful book beloved by my toddler
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2015
This book is one of our absolute favorites within the "potty collection," and I'm surprised at the mixed reviews. The language reaches my 2.5-year-old daughter to her core -- she listens wide-eyed and spellbound and quotes the book all the time. (I'm not surprised by this, since this book is written by the amazing Joanna Cole.) The pictures are fantastic, definitely the most helpful pictures my daughter has seen.

The book opens with a few pages (and real pictures!) about how babies are cared for. The rest of the book deals with two kids, Steffie and Ben. The potty-training journeys of both kids are covered in detail, including plenty of pictures. Yes, it's a little dated (the book was published in 1989), but my daughter couldn't care less. She talks about Steffie and Ben (the kids in the book) like they're her friends.

I'm so thankful to have happened upon this wonderful, thoughtful book.
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Desiree Marcy
3.0 out of 5 stars Old fashioned
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2010
Verified Purchase
Decent book, my daughter liked reading it, but was not to helpful to her anyways.
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Wanderlugs
4.0 out of 5 stars Dated, but really useful
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2010
Oh, the Potty Book. My daughter loves it so. She's nowhere near being ready to sit on the potty herself, but she loves to read about it. This book seriously needs some updating. It features a pretty white girl named Steffie who lives in a *house*, and a handsome African-American boy named Ben who lives in an *apartment*. Um, stereotypes anyone? Other than that, I love that this book features photos rather than drawings, and that it covers the entire transition from diapers to underpants. Although at the end of the book, neither kid is fully potty trained. And hey, we ALL end up in diapers again eventually, right?

This book is pretty funny too - I haven't been able to read the line that goes "Steffie's bear, Muffin sat on the potty too" without laughing yet. The paperback book is plenty sturdy. I'd give it five stars if not for the undercurrent of race-based socioeconomic disparities throughout.
One person found this helpful
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John and Janet Brown
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Teaching Tool
Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2002
All children are different. My daughter started using her potty the day after I first read this book to her. She seems to be able to relate well to the characters and situations. I would prefer if it was a little more sturdy like a board book...after 2 weeks it's just about disintegrated from use.
One person found this helpful
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