I Want My Potty!

My Little Princess

by Tony Ross

'Nappies are YUUECH!' said the little princess. 'There must be something better!' Tony Ross's hilarious account of royal potty training will amuse young children and help their parents.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Family, Education

18 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Tony Ross is a British illustrator and author of children's picture books. He was a student at the Liverpool School of Art and Design. Ross has had quite a few occupations, such as cartoonist, graphic designer, art director at an advertising agency, senior lecturer in art and head of the illustration course at Manchester Polytechnic.
Ross won the 1986 Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis, picture books category, for Ich komm dich holen!, (I'm coming to get you! - Andersen, 1984. He was runner-up for the 1990 Kate Greenaway Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book by a British subject, for Dr. Xargle's book of Earth Tiggers.

Meet the illustrator
What is your favourite animal?
A cat
What is your favourite boy’s name?
Bill
What is your favourite girl’s name?
Roxanne
What is your favourite food?
Lobster
What is your favourite music?
Irish
What is your favourite hobby?
Sailing

Reviews

[Shirley Revill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book years ago and it really helped with potty training.
First they where asking for a story and then for the potty.
Loved the story, loved the illustrations. One of my favourites. A classic.

[Sehrish]

Tony Ross has a variety of books about a spoilt little Princess who is always demanding something. In 'I want my Potty' the little Princess eventually promises to ask for her potty when she needs to go to the toilet. The Princess demands for her potty when she realises she needs her potty rather urgently when she is at the top of the castle. The maid, the queen, the king and everyone in the palace rush around trying to find the Princess's potty and get it to her but by end of the story as we would be able to guess it is too late, the little princess wets herself on the floor!
This book is suitable for Nursery and Reception as children would find it relevant and be able to link to their own experiences of when they were being potty trained. The children at that age will find the story amusing and be able to learn about potty training in a engaging way.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was alright. From a potty training perspective it's good since it goes through the steps of getting used to the potty, then enjoying it, but whole last half of the book is a big hoopla to get the princess her potty chair, but then they don't get it to her in time and she pees on the floor. I feel like this would have been better if she had made it to the potty at the end. I know its important to let them know its okay if they have an accident at the beginning and all, but I'd prefer to reinforce our target goal.

[Trevor Potratz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this story was fantastic. It described the frustrations and joys of a toddler being potty trained. The plot includes a little princess that doesn't like to use the potty until a noble queen suggests she learns to like it. I recommend this story to little children learning to use the potty because it's a fun way for kids to get potty trained.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Story is the 1st Animated Story for BBC's Anytime Tales Narrated by Victoria Wood, This is a well-loved story that bears repeating with toilet humour that young children love and support for early reading skills. The illustrations are delightful.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reddit 2025: man
Letters: w (alphabet completed
52 book club 2025: authors surname also first name
Pros:A fun set up and filled me with nostalgia
Cons: I think you have to be a parent to really get it.

[Tom Clempson]

Finally finished it. Took forever, but it was fun. Brilliant twist ending.

[Morwenna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think this is a terrible book and definitely not worth spending any money on.

It's starts off well by introducing what a potty is used for and the princess enjoying using it, after initially not wanting to. Towards the end the princess demands the potty and no one can find it. Eventually they find it but bring the potty to her too late so she wets herself. Then the story ends, with the little princess very upset in a little puddle.

What a terrible ending!! Surely it should then go on to say that it's OK to have accidents and that they will happen. Then the story should go on to show her successfully using the potty again.

Awful story if you are training your child to potty train. What child would want to end up miserable sat in a puddle of their own wee?!

I ended up recycling mine, as I couldn't bring myself to give it away to someone for free.

[Nicola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Miss 3 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.

This was one of many. many picture books we got out from the library to do with toilet training. I'm not particularly a fan of the cartoon, or the book, but Miss 3 likes the cartoon. She liked that the version we read had a sound button to cheer the Little Princess on. I thought the story was a bit daft and we've had far better ones about having accidents during play.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter has entered the early stages of potty training so we got some potty-related books to encourage her.
This one is nostalgic as I remember reading it when I was very small.
Cute and short, it’s not overly informative like some potty training books but it’s a nice story!

[Sahuna Imran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series, the books as well as the cartoon and I love Little princess's accent in the cartoon. The illustrations are beautiful, just because she is a princess she doesn't needs to be dolled up the whole time. She is as messy as a child can be.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

The little princess is learning to sue the potty. How will it go? I like the tag line the potty is the place but not a lot of lessons here. toddler and up for subject

[kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

not a fan, neither was my toddler

[Krishnapriya Kamalakshan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful and funny.

[Dale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, but not Roald Dahl good

[Guilherme Semionato · Rating 2 out of 5]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQkEW...

[Olivia Fraser · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's very nice for beginners I loved it when I was young

[Poppy Thorpe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably my most read book of 2023! Sophia loves it! We do so many different voices and she likes to shout at the key moment!

[Aditi Somani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favourite childhood stories. 'I want my potty' is the tale of a very spoilt princess who on this occasion, demands her potty instantly as she needs to go to the toilet. The maid, the queen, the king and other people in the palace rush around trying to locate the potty and placate her demands. However, by the end of the story it is too late, and the little princess wets on the floor.

I would recommend this story to read to any child around potty training age, as it eases them into the concept of not using a nappy. From an adults perspective,one might argue that the fact that she wets on the floor is not sending a good message, and maybe there should have been more reference in the story to the idea that it was an accident and it does not matter. Having said this, I think that children would not analyse this in depth, and simply would enjoy the story. There are many amusing aspects to it, such as the tantrum that the princess has, and the look of panic in the bright and colourful illustrations of all the adults in the story who are rushing around in a frenzy trying the locate the potty!

The perfect story to read to any child, particularly children at potty training age.

[Melissa Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story of a little princess learning to use the potty.
This book is ideal for younger children learning how to use the potty and go to the toilet independently. The book allows the reader to use a variety of voices and actions to match the desperate staff and residents of the castle to rush to the princess in time.
The illustrations are created, colourful and captivating for young children. They show comical characters in flamboyant clothes and of people with different job roles, expanding vocabulary.
The main character, also being a princess, allows the reader to relate the young child as a prince or princess to make them feel special and responsible for their toileting.
Recommended book for early years!

[SBC · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really enjoy this. I thought the language was a bit high-blown and the story a bit sophisticated for the age group it was aimed at. Also, I thought at the end there would be some reassurance for her for not managing to wait for the potty but it just ended with her looking sweetly embarrassed - I felt for the reader it needed something more to teach them to feel okay if they didn't make it. Also, the fact that the General was using the potty as a boat and that this was why it couldn't be found wasn't obvious for a young reader.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had learnt to talk, walk and read before I had been potty-trained and I think my parents gave me this in hopes of me understanding why I was to use the potty.

I loved this little book, mainly for the illustrations and as a very young child of almost 3, I found it very humorous!

The only niggle was that I thought the little princess was very rude for yelling at her servants, I know it's odd but I picked that up as a a child and felt she was much too rude.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is pretty funny--it could be good to read to a child who is potty training and has not made it to the potty in time. It's a humorous look at the perils of potty training. It's a pretty simple read, but it does serve a purpose, and I was definitely smiling at the end!

[Hillingdon Libraries]

Find this book at Hillingdon Libraries

[Kit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the cutest book for potty learning toddlers I've seen thus far.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

My two year old was amused.

[Adele · Rating 3 out of 5]

This potty book features a princess who is suspicious of the potty, but decides she wants her potty. Then, she has a accident and looks embarassed.

[Vong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great for the lower years if they have troubles that are too embarrassing to talk about or have experienced.

[Bec Bellbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a classic book!