GOLDILOCKS AND THE JUST RIGHT POTTY

A classic fairy tale is cleverly reworked for those transitioning from diapers.

Breaking out buckets o’ charm, Hodgkinson tackles the finicky tendencies of the soon-to-be potty-trained with the aid of a familiar face. Living in the woods with her mommy and daddy (not an ursine porridge-eater to be seen), Goldilocks (unsurprisingly, a blonde, white girl) decides one day that soggy diapers are not ideal. But what underwear suits her best? Nothing too frilly and nothing too silly, but undies that are “just right!” Next comes the search for a potty itself. She rejects a pair of boots as too big and a teacup as too small (child readers may well find this hilarious, even as caregivers sigh in relief when she moves on). Correct potty secured, the final challenge is the hardest, as any toddler will attest. When is it the “just right” time to sit on the potty? Sprinkling her art with images of bear toys, Hodgkinson creates mixed-media illustrations that lend the simple text a peppy tone that encourages young readers to keep trying through their setbacks. And thanks to the easy language, this book proves ideal for a wide range of potty training ages (a nice change of pace from potty books that truck in complex sentence structures).

While most potty books strike readers as too old or too young, here’s one that almost everyone can agree is (you guessed it) just right.