Philomel Books, New York, 2002
Hardcover edition, 32 pages, ISBN 0-399-23954-5.
Eric Carle's sloth hangs from a veritable bouquet of color in this lovely tribute, and that is pretty much all that the sloth does--hang. Any activity at all is performed "slowly, slowly, slowly". The other jungle animals accuse him of being slow, quiet, boring, and lazy. After thinking and thinking and thinking "for a long, long, long time," the sloth concedes somewhat to his detractors, but defends himself with a series of other adjectives as well. "I am also unflappable, languid, stoic, impassive, sluggish, lethargic, placid, calm, mellow, laid-back, and well, slothful!" However... he is NOT lazy.
Jane Goodall has written an informational Forward to the book, and Carle has added his own comments on the back cover, bemoaning the hectic life of society which needs to take a lesson from the unhurried sloth. The back end papers display the exotic collection of jungle creatures from the story in characteristically Carle-painted collage.
A great read for toddler or preschool story hour.
Children may learn that there are different temperaments and attributes of people as well as animals, that everyone is not the same, and that differences are good.
Parent's Choice Silver Honor Book, 2002.
ALA Notable Children's Book, 2003.
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