The perfect toddler tale is not only entertaining enough for parents and kids but also offers some help within — encouragement for potty training, a lesson in giving up the binky, an introduction to Mama's growing belly. These small books broach those topics and more.

"I Use the Potty" by Maria van Lieshout; Chronicle Books; 24 pages; $9.99.

With simple, three-color cartoon drawings and a no-holds-barred vocabulary — "Burp!" and "I pooped and peed in SO MANY DIAPERS" — this smaller, square picture book works wonders with humor. Tots will love the little boy's goofy faces and the short chants they can easily copy, such as "FLUSH!" and "PLOP I DID IT."

Author Maria van Lieshout was inspired by her own experiences with her son, and she knows that kids get on board with just about anything if it's made fun. Also in her new "Big Kid Power" series is "Bye-Bye Binky." With a simple approach to giving up a pacifier, Lieshout acknowledges that babies love binkies, but "no, big kids don't need a binky. NOPE!" The little girl gives up her binky and proudly explains how she can seek comfort in family and friends, giving preschoolers ideas on how to cope when they think they need their binkies.

Lieshout's new series celebrates the milestones in toddlers' lives, with lots of laughs and down-to-earth advice from real-looking kids.

"Skip to the Loo, My Darling!" by Sally Lloyd Jones; illustrated by Anita Jeram; Candlewick Press; 32 pages; $11.99.

From the illustrator of the iconic "Guess How Much I Love You," this whimsical, rhyming romp features a bunny and a plethora of his pals as they skip to the loo. From a lonely dodo to Wibbly Woo to an elephant in a tutu, everybody at the animals' picnic party needs to skip on over to the loo. Not much advice inside, but the sheer fun of reading these words — "Look! Everyone's on their potties! Poo! Poo! Poo!" and "Yes, everyone's at the potty party! Potty! Party! Poo!" — makes this book a hoot.

Just when you think it can't get any more fun, we discover somebody's missing from the party, and a mirror appears with "Is it YOU?"

Whew! No potty trainer should miss this ode to the loo.

"We Are Having a Baby!" created by Christine Burger; Purposeful Goods; 28 pages; $12.95.

Author Christine Burger, the creator of children's skin-care line Noodle & Boo, wants to continue helping parents help kids. She created this thoughtful line of books, plus a soft, plush monkey named Boodles, within her new line "Your Buddy Boodles." In "We Are Having a Baby!" monkey Boodles helps a little boy navigate the wait for a new sibling. Burger's gentle text and emphasis on preparation and helping gives kids outward things to think of other than their own jealousies and fears.

She also penned "What Does a Family Look Like?" to introduce preschoolers to different kinds of families. Several different races of families are shown having fun together. And new types of families are explained in a simple, fun — "Melissa has a Daddy," "Peter has two mommies" and "Jordan lives with his Grandma and Grandpa." A must- read for all young children, Burger's all-inclusive guide is loving and real.

"Steam Train, Dream Train 1-2-3" and "Steam Train, Dream Train Colors" by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld; Chronicle Books; 20 pages; $7.99.

Offshoots from the bestselling "Steam Train, Dream Train," these fun board books star the beloved animals that ride shotgun across country on purple, yellow and red engines. Rhyming text counts up to 10 in "Dream Train 1-2-3" ("Two best friends ride in the flatbed car, off to places near and far. Two pillows and two books to read, these two giraffes have all they need"), while the nighttime colors rule in "Dream Train Colors": "BLUE. The big blue tanker, rolling through, is filled with special paint — sky blue!" and "GREEN. A great green dino rolls along. That well car must be very strong!"

Labels on each car offer little train enthusiasts info to satisfy their curiosity. These muted-colored books are great bedtime reads.

To find out more about Lee Littlewood, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Donnie Ray Jones