Reviewed by Constance Stadler for Readers' Favorite

Poopy Town by Eric Allen Jacobson begins with a lighthearted and unique premise: successful toilet training can be fun. There is little question that the whiff of a filled diaper is not particularly pleasant, but a change centered on helping a child re-envision the bathroom as a magical place can make it somewhere a toddler wants to visit when nature calls. The key is the parental approach. The bathroom is the entrance to the fantasyland of Poopy Town, where magic is supreme. A pink castle is in the distance, and a smiling clown welcomes entrance. Once crossing the potty threshold, new friends await, as described by Mom and Dad. Rather than doing their duty to sit squarely on the toilet, it is a privilege because it is a throne. Like any honored ritual, they must wipe properly, as every prince or princess would do. Washing hands comes next, where another invented creature respectfully gives the royal traveler a towel. While everyone in the kingdom needs to pause and poop, they do so by following this regal example. In learning how important it is to maintain the splendor of Poopy Town, as soon as a toddler is about to release another round, they may think it’s back-to-the-throne time. 
 
While beckoning clowns and pink castles may not appear when potty demands are urgent, the imagination is limitless. The central message of Poopy Town is that rather than scolding when accidents happen, toilet training can be a rewarding experience for both parent and child. Just as reading a fairy tale at bedtime is often accompanied by a growling voice from a parent when the 'meany' appears, that same creative spirit applies to changing responses when encountering another full diaper after the certainty that the training has worked. The overarching theme is that a combination of making the bathroom a desired destination and offering positive reinforcement can work wonders. In adopting this perspective, the author illustrates that a parent has many opportunities to transform behavior without punishment. Eric Allen Jacobson has written a deceptively simple book with an empowering message. There are other ways to deal with undesirable behaviors and, in doing so, promote bonding and encourage eagerly going back to the land of Poopy Town as another inviting place to celebrate the wonder of childhood.