Review by School Library Journal Review
Toddler-Gr 1--After waking from a nap, Sloth journeys through the trees upward to find food. Sloth continues her journey on each page, until she makes it to the height where the leaves are perfect for eating. At the conclusion of the story, Sloth is full and exhausted, and ready to go to sleep. Although the words on each page are sparse, singsong rhymes throughout the text set the pace. The story returns to the common stanza, "go, sloth, go, sloth, go, sloth, go" every few pages, quickening and slowing the tempo. The turn of every page offers a new spread illustrating Sloth's adventure. A black ink-drawn sloth is pictured on bright green cut paper arranged and layered to form a vibrant background. That changes from bright to more muted greens, then to blues, hazy yellows, and reds as Sloth proceeds upward to break through the canopy of the trees. VERDICT This engaging picture book, perfect for read-alouds with young children, is recommended for all picture book collections.--Misty Schattle
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Review by Horn Book Review
In a picture book just right for young listeners as well as new readers, Sloth wakes up ready to eat. She "moves by degrees toward the tastiest leaves." Striking torn paper, ink, and digital media illustrations silhouette her dark figure against a verdant jungle of leaves and vines, creating a layered textured-collage look. Short, playful lines of text curve and stretch across spreads, mirroring Sloth's languorous movements. The refrain "Go, Sloth. Go, Sloth. Go, Sloth, go!" provides the opportunity to join in and chant along, and tiny critters -- lizards, butterflies, birds -- add something extra to notice on re-reads. The combination of illustration, page design, and words adds up to a book that gives a sense of Sloth's leisurely pace while also creating forward momentum to keep pages turning. The text is minimal and repetitive, relying on sight words, which makes this a solid choice for children just learning to read. As the book draws to a close, spreads evolve from green to orange, purple, and blue as dusk falls and Sloth achieves her goal: bedtime. Yuly (The Pelican Can!, rev. 5/24) displays sensitivity to young children's interests in this appealing homage to simple pleasures. Adrienne L. PettinelliSeptember/October 2025 p.56 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A sloth awakens in a jungle and begins her ponderous ascent in search of the tastiest leaves at the top of the canopy. Along the way, an unseen narrator offers encouragement with the repeated phrase "Go, Sloth, go, Sloth, go, Sloth, go!" As she inches closer to the sky and open views, blues begin to enter the initially verdant palette, and after she finally finds and snacks on the delicious leaves, the sun starts to set, bathing the now-sleeping sloth in a soothing orange glow. Concise but effective rhymes and frequent repetition of the titular refrain make for a reading experience as steady and cheery as the sloth herself is. Little ones will enjoy the chance to chime in once they pick up the rhythm, but the deliberate pace of the story could just as easily lull them to sleep; indeed, the text itself seems to fade in color as the sloth falls asleep. The subtle jungle background lets the stylized black sloth and the words take the spotlight, furthering the mellow atmosphere, though the silhouettes of a few other small animals drifting by make for a beautifully realized setting. As in herThe Pelican Can! (2024), Yuly immerses readers in the natural world; young people will be entirely invested in her sleepy subject's ultimately satisfying journey. Simultaneously cozy and utterly engaging in its simplicity.(Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
