Once Upon a Potty For Her

Prudence--the round-cheeked, pony-tailed heroine of Alona Frankel's book of the same name--can provide further inspiration to young daughters with her video adventure. As with her print counterpart, the animated Prudence wonders if her grandmother's gift could be a birdbath or a flowerpot before she settles down to the business at hand. Unlike the book, Prudence gets a grand introduction in the form of a music video of "The Potty Song," complete with toddlers frolicking among portable potties. A lyric sheet is included and moms will appreciate the equality mindedness of songwriter Art Frankel ("Wee-wee goes there / Poo-poo goes there / Then Daddy wipes behind me and that is that!"). The second half of this 24-minute video is a "Parent's Guide," in which a prominent pediatrician goes over the basics: signs of readiness, terms, methods, and expected ages (for example, girls usually train before boys, but don't force it). --Kimberly Heinrichs