Dinosaur vs. the Potty
The dinosaur roars and insists he doesn't need to go, right up until he does. This allows a child to be loud and defiant for a few pages before watching a character experience the same "climbdown" they might feel.
Dinosaur vs. the Potty by Bob Shea is estimated to take about 3.5 minutes to read aloud (150 words, about 1 sentence a page), and it lands best with children aged 2-4.
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- Estimated read-aloud time
- about 3.5 minutesEstimated read-aloud time
- Estimated word count
- 150Our estimate
- Sentences per page
- 1Sentence per page
- Re-read tolerance
- 4/5repeat friendly
- Vocabulary level
- 1/5plain words
- Best for
- Ages 2-4Our editorial fit
Our review
This is a rare potty book that children actually ask to read for fun. It uses a character to model the very defiance many toddlers feel when they are told it is time to use the toilet.
The humor comes from the dinosaur's eventual surrender to his own needs. It provides a safe way for a child to act out their own stubbornness without being the one in trouble.
Themes
- toilet
- dinosaurs
- defiance
- humour
Books like Dinosaur vs. the Potty
Matched by refrain, density, length, and listener—not just the subject.
Pottyabout 2.5 minutes estimated · 4/5 re-read
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!about 3.5 minutes estimated · 5/5 re-read
How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon?about 4 minutes estimated · 4/5 re-read
Everyone Poopsabout 3.5 minutes estimated · 3/5 re-read
No More Diapers for Ducky!about 3.5 minutes estimated · 4/5 re-read
Questions parents ask
How long does it take to read Dinosaur vs. the Potty aloud?
About 3.5 minutes at an unhurried pace, including a standard allowance for page turns, pictures and participation, from a word count of 150. Stopping for a longer conversation on every page will add more time.
What age is Dinosaur vs. the Potty actually for?
Ages 2-4 in our testing, which is narrower than the publisher's range. With 1 sentence a page and vocabulary at 1 out of 5, it asks for that much attention span and no more.
Does Dinosaur vs. the Potty survive being read on repeat?
Yes. It survives a fortnight of nightly repeats, which is the real test.
Is Dinosaur vs. the Potty a good book for a child who will not sit still?
It helps that it has a refrain a child can join in with, and it asks the child questions to answer out loud. Those three features are what keep a wriggling toddler listening, far more than the subject matter does.
Will my child memorise Dinosaur vs. the Potty?
Probably, and fast. The book leans on a repeated refrain, and at 4 out of 5 for re-read tolerance it survives the nightly repeats that get a book memorised. Expect your child to chant the pattern back before they can actually read.
Can a beginning reader read Dinosaur vs. the Potty on their own?
It is closer than most picture books. With 1 sentence a page and plain vocabulary (1 out of 5), a confident early reader can attempt it, though it is written to be read aloud first.
Is Dinosaur vs. the Potty part of a series?
Yes, it belongs to the Dinosaur Vs. series. It stands on its own, so you can start here without reading the others in order, then move to the rest if it lands.
What themes does Dinosaur vs. the Potty cover?
We tag it with toilet, dinosaurs, defiance and humour. Those are the threads that actually run through the book, not just the ones on the cover, which is how it earns its place on our themed lists rather than a keyword match.
Lists Dinosaur vs. the Potty is on
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