SNAPSHOT
The book is told from the perspective of two very patient Vulcan parents who want to teach their child that not only is pooping is a natural process, but doing it in a toilet instead of a diaper makes much more sense. Vulcans are known for their logic and rationality, so they’re ready to provide answers for little kids who always want to know, “Why?” (synopsis (c) Bonnie Burton via C|net)
Any parent, especially those of a geeky persuasion, who’s ever had to grapple with convincing a toddler that pooping in a toilet is a brilliant idea worthy of accolades, affirmation and a parade through the bathroom – that may sound extreme but witness parents desperately egging on their kids with hand claps and whoops of delight and a parade often doesn’t feel like it’s far off; if that’s what it takes, we’ll do it – will no doubt welcome with open arms a brilliant take on this most vexing of undertakings by husband and wife writers Garry and Leah Whitta, and web-comic Penny Arcade illustrator Michael Krahulik.
Entitled Pooping is Logical, the book, which is seeking interest from publishers even as toddlers are gearing up to run everywhere but to the toilet, wonders what the subject might look like if it were handled from a decidedly intergalactic perspective.
Specifically, that of Vulcan parents employing their highly regarded logic, to convince their reluctant progeny of the virtues of putting aside diapers in favour of the great porcelain goddess in the white-tiled room.
The idea, says the book’s author Garry Whitta, who is writing the book with full time child care provider wife Leah, is to use a race not known for their jocular pursuits, to make pooping, well, fun:
“With toddlers you’re always looking to make the kind of stuff they don’t always want to cooperate with more fun, whether it’s getting dressed or transitioning out of diapers and onto the potty. There are a ton of books out there that can help with that, but I haven’t really seen anything that comes at those subjects from a fun, geeky perspective. So we [Whitta and his wife Leah] came up with the idea of making a potty-training book set in the ‘Star Trek’ universe as a way of giving parents something that could be both fun and useful for them and their kids.” (source: C|net)
A fun, innovative approach to the subject it might be, one aided and abetted in the most perfect of ways by noted illustrator Michael Krahulik, himself a parent, but one still in need, as previously noted,of a publisher:
“There are so many publishers going after that nerd mom/dad market right now, I think something like this would be very logical for any of them. It has much of the same novelty appeal as the tie-in books we see on the shelves right now, but with the added bonus of having actual utility as a parenting guide.” (Whitta, C|net)
You can help Whitta gets his book into the hands of Star Trek-loving parents, and even those simply looking for a clever way to get their toddler onboard with the idea of using a toilet, by tweeting your hearts out using the hashtag “PoopingIsLogical”.
If Pooping is Logical makes it onto bookstore shelves, and it surely deserves to for a million amusing and practical reasons, then Whitta has some more ideas up his sleeve including a Klingon book which addresses a subject near and dear to my somewhat blighted childhood – bullying but from a Klingon perspective.
Pooping is Logical? Most assuredly. But so is making sure this most clever of books gets out to a waiting and expectant audience.
(source: C|net)