An Ode to Early Boys Books

 Ok so it started with potty training.  Books that would introduce and encourage the concept of wee-wee and poo-poo on the potty.  Any excuse to read a book with the boys actually because mama loves books so I always think a book will help.  I have a preface:  none of these books actually helped my boys go on the potty any faster then when they were ready but they sure were fun to read.


Book #1:  Potty Time with Elmo

Elmo, so popular amongst the younger crowd, especially if you also had a Tickle me Elmo so he seemed like a likely candidate to introduce the potty.  This was one of those books where the kids could push the buttons that corresponded with picture.  The ones that always got the my kids giggling were the toilet paper roll and the sudsy fish. 

From this book we progressed to

Book #2:  The Potty Book by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

This one came with an accompanying doll called Henry, a DVD and a little potty.  The book didn't really stand out for me, but the kids enjoyed the DVD and the song 'Bye-Bye Pee-Pee Bye-Bye Poo-Poo".  Dare you not to sing along if you ever hear it.

Book #3:  Toilet Tales by Andrea Wayne von Konigslow

At the time when I purchased this book it had been in print for over 20 years.  The premise is to explain in a light hearted way why toilets are not for animals but for big kids.  The illustrations that accompany the explanations are cute silly pictures of the animal trying to use the toilet.  Such as 'why can't a goat use a toilet?  Because he would eat the toilet paper.'  This one got my son every time.  We would say 'that is so silly' and he would giggle.  My son was between 2 and 3 years old when we had the most fun with this book.

Toilet Tales with my second son didn't quite have the same reaction so I tried another book.

Book #4:  Dinosaur versus the Potty by Bob Shea

I got this book for my second son Mr. Yoda when he was around 3 years old to help with his potty interest.  Cute dinosaur doing the pee-pee dance on the front.  It basically represented how a day would go in my house.  You try to stop a boy from playing to go potty until the last possible moment until it is practically too late.  As the dinosaur is told at the end 'close one dinosaur, close one'.  The book is geared towards boys as the dinosaur at the end is standing up to go pee-pee.  This makes for interesting discussion if you have not introduced standing up to pee for a boy yet and if your daughter reads the book with her brother and then he feels the need to demonstrate.

So from the potty books we progressed towards UNDERWEAR BOOKS of course.

Book #5:  Aliens Love Underpants by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort

Colourful and hilarious rhyming text that explains the real reason why aliens have travelled to earth.  Kids at this age  (3-5 years) love it when clothing is not placed on the correct body parts especially underwear.  In the beginning I would find my son peering into his underwear before he put them on and he would say 'just checking'. 

Book #6:  Ode to Underwear by Helaine Becker and illustrated by Mike Boldt

Another colourful and cute easy rhyming text. We loved how each different kind of underwear was given a different personality.  My daughter, Miss Ballerina, of course loves the frilly frou-frou purple one and my boys laughed at the frightful silly furry one.

From here what is next?
Why Heroes in Underpants
what did you expect!

Book #7:  Charlie's Superhero Underpants by Paul Bright and Lee Wildish

One day superhero Charlie finds his hero underpants blown away from the clothing line.  He sets off on a fantastic adventure to find his favourite superhero underpants.  His adventure takes him to all corners of the world including France, the plains of the Serengeti, the plateaus of Peru, the Mississippi, and the mountains of Nepal.  Where does he find his underpants?  Who had Charlie's underpants?  How does he get them back?  You will have to read this charming rhyming story to find out. 

Book #8:  The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey

If you have boys this might be one of the first chapter books they will read.  Let me just say while this one appeals to my son, Mr. Black Licorice who is in grade 2, it does not appeal to me. I know because I started reading this one to him and nothing encouraged me faster to help my son read on his own then this book.  I'm not a seven year old boy.  He loves it and it encourages him to read.  Enough said!

Even right now as I type this post I can hear my sons playing in the background and I have been keeping a running tally of the words they say the most.  They are diaper, fart, and cannon.

If you liked this post on books for boys you might also like Why We Love Fly Guy.
These are just the books my family has in our collection.  Any suggestions for additions?  We are always looking for great books to read.  Please share with me in the comments.