Big Girl Panties

by Fran Manushkin, Fran Manushkin

Big Girl Panties! features a light, positive approach to motivate toddlers to become toilet trained. What could be more rewarding for a little girl than wearing big girl panties, just like mommy? Adult caregivers and toddlers alike will love the snappy, rhyming text and colorful, hip illustrations. Valeria Petrone's stylized artwork ensures that this commercial yet heartwarming book will have a special place on little girls' favorite bookshelves. Soon they'll all be saying, "Bye, bye diapers!"

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books, Fiction

24 pages, Board Book

First published September 11, 2012

About the author

Fran Manushkin is the author of more than fifty books for children, including the Katie Woo series; Big Girl Panties, illustrated by Valeria Petrone; Big Sisters Are the Best, illustrated by Kirsten Richards; The Tushy Book, illustrated by Tracy Dockray; and Baby, Come Out!, illustrated by Ronald Himler and translated into eight languages. She lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Stacie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute for adults. Too risqué for those who have just started wearing big girl panties.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little girl wears big girl panties now that she uses the potty.

A little girl proudly announces, "Bye-bye, diapers! I wear panties!" and then goes on to describe what kind of panties, who can wear babies (little babies and crocodiles can't, but big girls, mommies, grandmas, and aunties can), what she can do in panties (prance, dance), and when she wears panties (day and night).

This is a extremely positive book for "big girls" who are toilet training. Its boy gendered companion book is Big Boy Underpants.

[Micah Persell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I'm reviewing this as a Mama. We're potty training our 2-year-old, and we got this book just to see if she'd like it. THIS IS NOW HER FAVORITE BOOK EVER! She has it memorized and "reads" it along with us. Her favorite page is the crocodile page, and I gotta confess, hearing her sweet lil baby voice say, "No, crocodoooo!" every time we get to it is kind of a highlight in this terrible, terrible potty training journey (solidarity, Mamas, am I right?!). I know I have some readers who are potty training too (or will be in the future), and I can definitely recommend this (along with copious amounts of wine--for you during this difficult time, not the toddler, obviously).

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised at how much I loved this. I was slightly... well, put off by the title, and only picked it up because I sorta know the author. It was a sheer delight- girls in grown up underpants doing all sorts of fun things. There wasn't much frou-frou, which made me very happy. There were girls doing any number of awesome things, some traditionally girly, some traditionally boyish. This would be a wonderful book to have on hand.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious little board book! Must buy for Addie.

[Jama · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only giving this five stars because my 2 yo won't let me stop reading it to her. We read it a minimum of ten times every day. I have this book memorized cover to cover, and I'm suspicious that she does too. So my daughter gives it five stars, and I am trying to find a place to hide this where she can't find it.

[Angelica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Au has been loving this book ever since we got it as a hand me down a few months ago. We read it almost every day. At 16 months, she's still a bit young to be potty trained, but I'm glad she's taken to the idea! This book is so fun, has great rhythm, and fun, funky illustrations that remind me of the Hey Arnold! cartoon.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My two year old loves this book and very much enjoys dancing and prancing as she transitions into underwear. Might be a bit too traditional in terms of gender norms though as there is a line about only big *girls* wearing panties. Also, if you have an aversion to the word panties you might want to stay away.

[Aurelia S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Au has been loving this book ever since we got it as a hand me down a few months ago. We read it almost every day. At 16 months, she's still a bit young to be potty trained, but I'm glad she's taken to the idea! This book is so fun, has great rhythm, and fun, funky illustrations that remind me of the Hey Arnold! cartoon.

[wendy wei · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOOOOOVED this book!

not sure why it made me act the words out when i read them to my child. but i loved it and enjoyed it so much.

it's a great book for those potty training days. she gets excited about panties!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

We’re potty training right now and M LOVES this book. It’s not specifically about using the potty. It’s a little girl reveling in all her big girl panties and it is right up M’s alley. She had it memorized within a couple of days. Very cute and I can’t imagine who would have a problem with it.

[Diana Ireland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a super cute little book, it is one of my daughters favorites

[Joy Keil · Rating 4 out of 5]

2 yo liked it. I thought it was ok. Pictures are fun.

[Katrina Liu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A joy to read when you're trying to potty train your little one!

[Maribel Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter's favorite book. Great book to help with potty training. As an adult, it's catchy and fun to read.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

:)

[Copper Quist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for helping with a potty training girl!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super motivational for my two year old! We read it way past her potty training success.

[Kelly Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable, and my toddler likes it, but it's probably better for late-stage potty training than early-stage.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book for learning all about potty training. Both of my girls really enjoyed it!

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read at Reedsburg Public Library in Wisconsin (good for toilet training)

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pros: cute and well written
Cons: I was concerned by the final suggestion that only children who don’t protection even at night can be “big kids” it also jumped straight in with no build up

[Doodle · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been two years since I've picked up this book and I still have it memorized. My daughter potty trained around 22 months. We read this book multiple times daily for months while sitting at the potty. It was very popular with the whole family, especially when daddy read it aloud.

The book, unfortunately, was not waterproof. It it was laid to rest after an unfortunate incident in the kiddie pool. However, we will purchase again when it's time for the next kiddo to potty train.

[Alicia Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our heroine is to the point of wearing big girl panties and she is very excited about it. She knows that this makes her a big girl and she tells you who else wears big girl panties too. The whole book just stresses the excitement that comes with reaching such an achievement and all young readers who have also reached this milestone will love it.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sassy little book showing how big girls wear panties. I like the art and the writing has a nice flow to it. I just prefer "undies" to "panties" and my little girl doesn't care enough about being a big girl for this to motivate her in potty training. She does think the undergarments pictured are cute, whatever we call them.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite for encouraging your potty training little girl! It isn't about the process of potty training, so you will want others in conjunction with this one. It celebrates big girls who wear panties and has been a favorite for all the little girls in my life.

[Beckie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Getting my little one ready to potty train and this was perfect to couple with the picking out of her big girl panties in the morning. She was excited to see the little girl in the story get rid of her diaper and use the potty. Great for potty training girls!

[Mira Domsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple enough for story time, a rhyming boardbook about how cool it is to wear panties instead of diapers. Full of energy, and lots of fun!

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good for potty training/making the transition from diapers to undies.

[Brindi Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great board book for little ones leaving the diapers behind. It's time for big girl panties. I think this book is very encouraging.