- Picture Books
- Ages 3–6
- Comedy
Poo Bum
Simon the little rabbit will only ever say one thing, no matter what he is asked: 'Poo bum!' Then a hungry wolf takes his cheeky answer as a yes, and gobbles him up. A translated French toddler classic, now a Netflix series, built for helpless giggles.
- Best for3–6
- FormatPicture
- Length32 pp
- Read aloud~6 min
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The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Repetitive
- Conversational
Tone
- Funny
- Silly
- Irreverent
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Simon is a small rabbit with a very small vocabulary. Whatever anyone asks him, whether it's time to get dressed, eat his dinner or go to bed, his answer is always the same: 'Poo bum!' His long-suffering parents can barely get a sensible word out of him. Then, out in the wide world, Simon meets a wolf who asks if he might eat him up, and when Simon fires back his usual 'Poo bum!', the wolf decides that's a yes and swallows him whole. Luckily, one small rabbit gives one big wolf a very sore tummy, and the doctor who's called turns out to be Simon's own daddy. Stephanie Blake's international bestseller, first published in French as 'Caca Boudin' and translated by Gecko Press, is a gloriously cheeky celebration of toddler defiance, with a twist ending guaranteed to have the whole family in hysterics and small children chanting the title for days.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
A very short, very silly read-aloud aimed squarely at 3-6s, and a favourite from toddlerhood up. There's no real peril, just cheeky humour and a comic wolf, so it suits any listener, and its repetition makes it a natural for early solo readers.
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 3–6
- Read aloud · 2–6
- Independent · 5–7
Prose load
Minimal
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Reading together
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
2 / 5 · Better outside bedtime
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Toddlers
- Funny read aloud
- Cheeky humour
- Repeat readers
Avoid if
- Dislikes toilet humour
- Wants gentle bedtime
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
There is nothing funnier to a small child than a rabbit who answers every single question with 'Poo bum!', and getting to shout it along is half the joy. The twist where the wolf gulps Simon down and then catches the 'Poo bum!' habit himself sends toddlers into total giggles.
- Breaking the rules safely
- Revenge on adults
- Trickery and cleverness
Why parents love it
It's short, punchy and hugely satisfying to read aloud, with a rhythm and a twist that land every time. The defiant one-line joke perfectly captures toddler contrariness, and even after the fiftieth request your child will be quoting it, which is exactly why it's sold hundreds of thousands of copies.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
- Bedtime appropriate
About the author & illustrator
Stephanie Blake.
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