Who's in the Bathroom? [Hardcover]

Jeanne Willis (Author), Adrian Reynolds (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1—Two children, waiting in a long line to use a public toilet, speculate on what could be causing the delay. "Who's in the bathroom?/We'd all like to know./And why are they being so terribly slow?/We're all getting desperate. It's our turn to go!" Speculation ranges from an elephant "having a poo" to a whale who is "doing the world's biggest pee." "Is it a stoat who is making a stink?" In the end, the children cut to the front of the line, knock on the door, and learn the answer: it is an octopus conscientiously washing all eight "hands." Bright, exuberant cartoons enliven the story and make it a good choice for those with a strong stomach for toilet humor. A frozen stream of urine shoots from a "waddling penguin too frozen to piddle" and a rat leans over the toilet seat "ready to chuck." Adults will quickly tire of this one-joke book, but children may be too captivated by the images of a farting rhinoceros and a "widdling" wombat to question some of the suggestions or wonder why only animals are shown in the bathroom but do not wait on the line with the humans.—Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, OR
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About the Author

Jeanne Willis is the author of many books for children, including Tadpole's Promise, I Hate School, I Want to Be a Cowgirl, and the popular Professor Xargle series, all illustrated by Tony Ross. Ms. Willis lives with her husband and children in London, England.

Adrian Reynolds has illustrated more than twenty books for children, including the popular Harry and the Dinosaurs series. He lives in England.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (March 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416935169
• ISBN-13: 978-1416935162
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,149,200 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun, funny, and clever, April 11, 2011

By 

A. Williams - See all my reviews

This review is from: Who's in the Bathroom? (Hardcover)

Okay, this is funny - I admit it! It's cute and clever and just pure fun!

The book centers around some kids who are waiting in line for the restroom and the line is reeeally long and someone is taking *forever*! So, the kids start to think up all sorts of animals that might be in there and what they might be doing.

It's a rhyming book and about 85% of the rhymes were really good!

(okay, there's one thing I was little concerned about - the poor sheep being used as bottle brushes) but other than that book is a riot!

Definitely a unique twist on "potty humor."

1.0 out of 5 stars disturbing image, July 19, 2010

By 

Diane - See all my reviews

This review is from: Who's in the Bathroom? (Hardcover)

I read this book with my 6 year old granddaughter. She was quite amused until we came to the drawing of a shepherd holding one of his sheep upside down with its head in the toilet. The shepherd is using his sheep as a "toilet bowl brush" This was disturbing to both of us. Not a book we'll ever be reading again.

5.0 out of 5 stars Who's in the Bathroom?, March 22, 2010

By 

A. Schwind - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Who's in the Bathroom? (Hardcover)

I love reading this book with my family and friends. I know that I would never be able to teach it in the classroom because of the content, but I'm sure that there are several students out there who would love to have a fun, laugh-out-loud read like this one. It makes a great new addition to my collection of children's books, as I have just filled the immature requirement!