The equally simple text is written in a way perfect for reading aloud, with lots of opportunity for characterisation on the part of the reader, and suspenseful pauses--just how will the forgetful Bartholomew make it to his potty in time? "He ran ... and he ran ... as fast as he could ... and reached his potty ... just ... in ... time". This is accompanied by a hilarious view of the little bear with a palpable expression of relief on his face, complete with a speech-bubble "aaahh", which will have both the reader and listener in fits of giggles.

The little bear, Bartholomew, is just the kind of cute character beloved of toddlers and, combined with the wit with which the story is told, it is a book very much recommended for that tricky time when the little ones are trying to figure out just what that potty thing is for--and it will help them realise that it's not such a scary thing after all. But, above all, it is really is just a lot of fun to read. --Alison Jardine

Synopsis
This is the illustrated story of a small bear called Bartholomew and how he learns to use his potty. This book is intended to encourage children learning to use their potty. Virginia Miller has also written two other books about Bartholomew, "Eat Your Dinner!" and "Get Into Bed!", and has illustrated two stories by Martin Waddell, "Squeak-A-Lot" (runner up for the 1991 Mother Goose Award) and "Sailor Bear".