8 Potty Training Books That Actually Help
Potty training is one of those parenting passages that sounds simple until you're living it. You know it's coming. You've read the advice. You bought the seat. And then your toddler looks at you like you've suggested they eat sand. These books won't potty train your child. nothing will except time and their own readiness. but the right book at the right moment can make the toilet feel a little less like a threat and a little more like something that belongs to them.
For the kid who needs to see that everyone does it
Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi is the classic for a reason. It is exactly what the title promises: a tour of how different creatures poop. Elephants make big poops. Mice make small poops. Fish poop. Bugs poop. And so do you. Taro Gomi's illustrations are simple and cheerful and the book treats the entire subject as completely unremarkable, which is exactly the energy you want. Some parents find it too blunt; most toddlers find it hilarious.
Potty Animals by Hope Vestergaard takes the same approach with more narrative. Different animals use the potty in different (wrong) ways. the bear takes too long, the rabbit goes too often, the pig makes a mess. until the last page shows a child doing it just right. The humor is gentle and the illustrations by Valeria Petrone are bright and silly. Good for kids who respond to "look how funny it is when someone does it wrong."
For the kid who needs the step-by-step preview
Let's Go to the Potty! by Allison Jandu walks through every step of using the potty with bright, inclusive illustrations and a cheerful, direct tone. It covers feeling the urge, going to the bathroom, sitting down, wiping, flushing, and hand washing — the full sequence in a format toddlers can follow along with. Simple enough for the earliest potty trainees, clear enough to make the routine feel familiar before they have to do it for real.
Going to the Potty by Fred Rogers uses the same gentle, reassuring approach that made Mister Rogers' Neighborhood legendary. It walks children through the whole process without rushing or shaming, acknowledging that accidents happen and that learning takes time. If Daniel Tiger is the current generation's trusted helper, Fred Rogers is the original — and this book extends that trust onto the page.
For the kid who needs to feel like it's their idea
Potty by Leslie Patricelli is a board book starring Patricelli's signature bald baby, who narrates their own decision-making process about the potty. Should I go in my diaper? Nah. Should I go on the potty? Maybe. The baby weighs the options, tries it out, succeeds, and is genuinely proud. The brevity is perfect. six or seven spreads, minimal words. and the baby's face sells the whole thing. This is the book that makes toddlers point at the potty and say "me."
Kate the Kitty Goes Potty by Kristine Hokstad-Myzyri follows a kitten who decides she's ready for the potty — on her own terms. The story gives kids a character who leads the way rather than being told what to do, which makes it effective for the child who resists being pushed. It's simple, direct, and short enough to re-read five times in a row, which is exactly what potty training requires.
For the kid who needs a character who looks like them doing it
The Princess and the Potty by Wendy Cheyette Lewison is about a princess whose parents try everything to get her to use the potty. a golden potty, a silver potty, potty advisors from across the kingdom. until the princess decides to do it herself, on her own terms. It's funny and it subverts the "royalty" framing in a way that kids enjoy. Good for children who resist being told what to do (which is, of course, most toddlers).
A note for parents
If you're looking for guidance for yourself alongside the books for your child, Oh Crap! Potty Training by Jamie Glowacki is the most-recommended parent guide. It's opinionated, practical, and doesn't sugarcoat the process. It's not a children's book. it's a book about children, written for the adult who has to get through this.
More to explore
More options: No More Diapers for Ducky! (Bernette Ford), Lulu's Loo (Camilla Reid), The Potty Train (David Hochman & Ruth Kennison), Super Pooper and Whiz Kid (Eunice Moyle & Sabrina Moyle), My Big Girl Undies / My Big Boy Undies (Karen Katz)
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