Where's the Potty on this Ark?

July 15, 2018
A little raccoon has a very important question.The animals have boarded Noah's Ark two by two, and Noah's wife, Naamah, is showing the animals their living quarters. There are eating areas, sleeping areas, and play areas. The bottom of the Ark holds the "potty room," where all sorts of potties for all the animals can be found. Tompkins' illustrations offer an array, including containers of straw, sand, and dirt in various sizes as well as clusters of rocks and greenery. Suddenly Raccoon has to go, and Mother Hen helps him figure out how to use the potty. (It looks rather like a red dog bowl, and Raccoon sits on it as a human toddler might.) When Raccoon's done, Owl sermonizes the normalcy of using the bathroom: "Food goes in and helps to make us strong. But food also needs a way to leave your body when your body is done using it." The whole enterprise is a bit odd and unevenly paced, and while the story of the Ark naturally begs questions about potties, this story's religious overtones may perplex some readers. Owl teaches a prayer to recite after one uses the bathroom ("Thank you, God, for making my wonderful body do its work"), and the overreach is disturbing. If using the facilities is so normal and natural--indeed, universal--why should one voice their thanks to God for it as if it's a small miracle?For religiously minded potty-trainers. (Picture book. 2-3)

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