Bye-Bye Binky and I Use the Potty
Series: Big Kid Power
Written and Illustrated by Maria van Lieshout
Chronicle Books     3/08/2016
978-1-4521-3536-6 and 978-1-4521-3535-9
20 pages     Ages 2—5

“Babies use a binky. Do big kids?
No! Big kids say, “Bye-bye, binky!”

“Simple and funny, these engaging books
will encourage young children so that they
can proudly proclaim I’M A BIG KID!

“Babies wear diapers. Do Big Kids?
No! Big kids use the potty!”
[back covers].

Review
Bye-Bye Binky is all about getting kids to stop using the binky. When she was a baby, she would get tired, hungry, unhappy, or cannot sleep. Her parents would give her a binky. And it worked. She calmed down and, if tired, went to sleep with less difficulty. Then the no-more-binky day arrived. It was time for this big kid—and her parents—to let go of this safety blanket and learn to find comfort in other ways. As a big kid, she can now ask for hugs, cuddle her stuffed animal, snuggle the dog, or ask for something to eat when hungry. The binky goes to another baby. Why? Because SHE IS A BIG KID!

I Use the Potty, another in the Big Kid Power series, is about kids progressing from the diaper to the toilet. When he was a baby, this big kid wore diapers. He also drank lots of milk, “BURPED” rather loud, and filled his diaper a lot. It seemed his parents changed his diaper “ALL. THE. TIME.” And those diapers stunk from all his poop and pee. If you stacked all the diapers his parents changed, they would hit the ceiling. Then the day arrived to abandon the diapers and wear underwear. The big boy learned to put on his underwear and to use the toilet. He even wipes his “tush” and flushes the toilet. Why? Because HE IS A BIG KID!

The Big Kid Power series, designed to help toddlers transition from baby to big kid, is kid-friendly in both art and language. The books are the perfect size for toddlers, and the illustrations will entertain them, especially the baby spreads, which will elicit smiles and laughs as kids look back on how they behaved.

The first two in this new series, Bye-Bye Binky and I Use the Potty, can help kids let go of one behavior and develop the next. Reading these books to a child can help them process the idea of giving up the binky or wearing underwear and using the toilet. The final spread in each book shows the child in front of a large star, proclaiming, “I’m a big kid!”

This type of book is not new. Authors have been writing about growing up and all that entails, but this series gives the power to the child. As the narrator, and he or she proudly tells us why a they used a binky or wore diapers—when they were babies—and then the new “Big Kid” behavior replacing each of those. The child is nameless, making it very easy for kids to make the story their own. After listening to the story a few times, kids will begin reciting some sentences and making up the rest, while keeping to the theme. This is when you know the child is invested in change.

Trying to make the series multicultural, the young girl is of color. I do not know what van Lieshout’s plans are for this series, but it would be good to see other children, such as an Asian child, a Latin child, and a handicapped child.

Say goodbye to binky—maybe have a small ceremony—and hello to new ways of finding comfort. The same for the switch from diapers to potty. These moments are milestones in a child’s young life. As the author states,

“The ritual celebrates that children have achieved something important. They are now a BIG KID and can conquer any challenge that comes their way.”

After each story, van Lieshout explains her inspiration for writing each book. In I Use the Potty, she writes, “. . . every child wants to be a BIG KID and to conquer challenges. That’s what BIG KID POWER is all about.” Kids will be proud of their achievements and the Big Kid Power series can help parents smooth the way for these changes.

BYE-BYE- BINKY and I USE THE POTTY. Text AND ILLUSTRATIONS copyright © 2016 by Maria van Lieshout. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, CA.

Bye-Bye Binky: Amazon—Book Depository—Indie Books—Apple Books—Chronicle Books.
I Use the Potty: Amazon—Book Depository—Indie Books—Apple Books—Chronicle Books.

Find Bye-Bye Binky on Goodreads HERE.
Find I Use the Potty on Goodreads HERE.

Coloring pages for each book can be found HERE and HERE. (click on the starred pages)
A Potty Chart can be found HERE. (click on chart for instant download—star stickers available from author)

Maria van Lieshout:  http://www.mariavanlieshout.com/
Follow on Twitter          @vanlieshoutink

Chronicle Books:  http://www.chroniclebooks.com/
Follow on Twitter          @ChronicleKids

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JUST FOR FUN!

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BYE-BYE BINKY. Illustrations © 2016 by Maria van Lieshout. Used by permission of Chronicle Books.
I USE THE POTTY. Illustrations © 2016 by Maria van Lieshout. Used by permission of Chronicle Books.

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Copyright © 2016 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews. All Rights Reserved

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Full Disclosure: Bye-Bye Binky and I Use the Potty by Maria van Lieshout, and received from Chronicle Books, is in exchange NOT for a positive review, but for an HONEST review. The opinions expressed are my own and no one else’s. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”