Bathroom anxiety, such a tricky topic to navigate and how can we help our children feel comfortable using the washroom in different places like school, day care, the grocery store, etc. Lana Button bring us the very cute Raj’s Rule (for the bathroom at school) illustrated by Hatem Aly filled with the myriad of reasons a child may not be able to use the washroom.  

Many of us who have been through toilet training with little ones can understand the difficulty navigating bathroom anxiety. I really love how this story with it’s rhyming verse and rhythmical text acknowledges those feelings. Lana Button shows that once Raj is forced to use the washroom, his day opens up in front of him.  He has more time to focus on playing, laughing and having fun then with trying not to use the bathroom. Raj’s Rule (for the bathroom at school) has arrived just in time to help all of those who will be new to school and navigating the bathroom for the first time.

I really enjoy the design choice of the text all being in speech bubbles giving the story a comic feel but also making it more evident that it is Raj who is speaking and filling us in on all the rules. Hatem Aly’s colour filled illustrations add to the humour and cadence of the story. Taking the reader from situation to situation and adding a touch of lightness to what is oftentimes a very tricky topic this story is wonderful for the first week back in class.