Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School)

Written by Lana Button

Illustrated by Hatem Aly

Owlkids Books

978-1-77147-340-8

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

August 2020

Rules are often put in place to keep us safe. Some are imposed by others and adopted by everyone, and some are very personal and created to meet our own needs and preferences. The latter is the case for Raj whose reluctance to use the bathrooms at school compels him to adhere to some very strict and strange rules. But, some rules are doomed to be broken.

From Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly

Not unlike a lot of people, Raj is reluctant to use any bathroom other than the one at home. In order to abide by this rule, Raj offers some charming and very practical tips to prevent the need for school bathroom breaks. He avoids drinking at school, not from the water fountain or from juice boxes. He may wash his hands at the sink but quickly and he avoids the water table. 

From Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly

He definitely stays away from the very funny Kyle and avoids distractions and movements that might keep him from sitting still, often squeezing his knees together. But, when a sneeze necessitates a visit to the school bathroom, all his rules are for naught and Raj learns that the outcome is better than he thought.

From Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly

You have to wonder how many people deny themselves the opportunities for happiness because of the fear of the "what ifs." Raj is obviously afraid of something associated with using a public washroom–and nowadays with COVID19, who isn't?–but the distress on his poor little body as he attempts to keep it from its natural functions is apparent. (Doctors would probably advise against this as well.) But Lana Button's gentle text doesn't poke fun at Raj and his predilection. She offers a compassionate, even rational, perspective and allows Raj the opportunity to problem solve his own solutions, both how not to use the bathroom and how to manage when he must use it.  As she has unequivocally accomplished in her earlier books like Willow Finds a Way (2013), My Teacher's Not Here! (2018) and What If Bunny's Not a Bully? (2020), Lana Button is respectful of how young children think, emphasizing their very legitimate struggles with bullies, friends, routines, and change but still giving them the vehicle to find their own solutions. And, as all teachers and parents should know, by allowing children the opportunity to problem solve their own answers, they are encouraging them to accept them.

 

New Brunswick illustrator Hatem Aly, who also created the art for The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family (2019), is no stranger to blending lightness with the important messages of authors. He never makes Raj look silly or insignificant, instead making Raj just one of the kids whose issue just happens to be not wanting to use the bathroom at school. It could have been never eating the crusts on bread, or wearing his favourite red socks every day, or carrying a stuffie everywhere. But Hatem Aly has made the adorable Raj, the boy with a bounty of dark wavy hair, big eyes and wish to avoid a public bathroom, just another kid in diverse class of kids of different sizes, colours and abilities. They're boisterous and quiet, impetuous and cautious, and Raj is just one of them.

From Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly

At a time when being vigilant in public is the norm, little Raj is wise to consider how to avoid potential problems by strategizing ways to bypass his school bathrooms. But, more importantly, Raj can still find a way to ease his worries while becoming happier at school, both physically and emotionally, by simply tweaking his rules so they work with his new reality.