Smile, Breathe, and Go Slowly: Slumby the Sloth Goes to School

The Italian collaborators offer a whimsical tale starring a sloth who savors his family’s mellow lifestyle, which involves perching on a tree branch, surrounded by butterflies, and breathing deeply—and very slowly. Slumby has a rude awakening on his first day of school, when his father (amusingly holding a clock while hanging upside-down from a branch overhead) rouses him early, and he must dress and eat breakfast “in a hurry” before setting off on a leisurely amble to school, arriving just before noon. Though his classmates and teacher cannot resist Slumby’s “serene smile,” the sluggish marsupial doesn’t join in recess games, instead hanging out in a tree alone, growing sad until he (unexpectedly speedy in the water) saves a friend’s life and enlightens his peers to the rewards of a sloth’s pace. Rendered in crayons and acrylic paints, Angaramo’s similarly understated and droll illustrations put a diverting spin on Slumby and his friends. Ages 3–7. [em](Sept.) [/em]