Author and educator Button offers a sympathetic treatment of a common but rarely depicted childhood anxiety. Young Raj's rule is to avoid the school bathroom at all costs. To execute, this kid has strategies: no juice at lunch, no trips to the water fountain, no active play at recess, no laughing. Posture is critical. It all seems pretty grim, but Raj knows how to spin it: "Here's a great game--squeeze your knees tight, / and don't use the bathroom with all of your might." Button's verse is unexceptional, but it gets the job done and even slyly prompts audience participation in a moment that will definitely spark giggles: "Steer clear of Kyle. He's too funny--trust me. / That guy gets you laughing so hard you might…." A sneeze drives Raj to the bathroom in spite of everything, however, leading to unaccustomed comfort and the revelation that maybe it's not such a bad place to do business after all. "I feel different," Raj remarks and then proceeds to live dangerously, enjoying both juice and the water fountain, playing at recess, and even laughing at Kyle's jokes. Aly's cartoons depict Raj with brown skin and a puffy, dark-brown coif. Classmates are thoughtfully diverse, including some chubby kids as well as a couple who wear glasses and another who uses a wheelchair. Sweet relief. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Early childhood educator Button depicts an anxiety that many school-age children share: using a bathroom that's not their own. Told in conversational rhymes presented in speech bubbles, the narrative follows Raj, a brown-skinned child who restricts his movements, dodging all beverage offerings and even laughter to avoid using the facility's washroom. But when he can't elude "sneaky sneezes" like he advises, Raj is forced to use the school restroom for the first time. After his usual concern is flushed away, Raj gains access to previously disregarded opportunities ("I kinda can cartwheel!/ My friends help me try!"). Aly's expressive, cartoon-style digital illustrations elevate the tale, making it accessible to anxious and non-anxious readers alike. Button subtly and effectively conveys how actions related to anxiety might disrupt a child's academic and social performance, but this readaloud will resonate with any reader who has faced a fear. Ages 3--7. (Aug.)

Raj has one very important rule: never use the bathroom at school. It's complicated, but he has mastered the system: no juice boxes at lunch, no cartwheels at recess, stay away from water play and Kyle (he's too funny and might make you pee), squeeze your knees if you become desperate, and rush home at the end of the day. But one day, he just can't hold it. After surviving an unplanned bathroom trip, he realizes how much of his day opened up, and his rule changes: go when you need to, even at school. Told in rhyming couplets, this book will be great for young readers who have anxiety about using unknown restrooms, but most kids will relate to "holding it." Raj's dark hair and light brown skin hint at Middle Eastern or South Asian heritage, but his race is left open to interpretation. Aly's illustrations go far beyond supporting the text into incredibly intentional and detailed inclusivity, from a teacher of color to a multiracial classroom to a student in a wheelchair having a blast on the playground where girls are outclimbing all the boys. Not only is this a celebration of independent potty usage, this book is a terrific talking piece for overcoming personal fear.