Hello, I'm A Sloth, written by Hayley and illustrated by John Rocco. G.P. Putnam's Sons, Penguin Random House. 2024. $23.50 ages 5 and up

 

"Scientists have discovered 
that the algae and fungi 
in my fur can fight certain 
human diseases, like cancer. 

You're welcome."

Kids are often intrigued by the slow-moving sloth. To have it speak directly to them only ups the interest. This one lets them know right away that it was in the middle of a nap; not to worry, napping is the way it spends most every day. As it hangs from a tree branch, it becomes clear that its love of trees is quite natural for an animal that mostly sleeps, and sometimes eats and climbs. 

To keep readers involved, it often asks them questions that refer to what the sloth is saying about its life. 

"Don't you just love climbing trees?" 

The sloth talks about the claws that help when hanging about in trees, the trip down from the tree to poop once a week, and its need to get back up to avoid predators on the ground. It talks about falls that don't really hurt, 'walking' on the ground which isn't easy, and swimming as a means of moving more quickly. Did you know that when a sloth eats, its stomach fills with gas and that helps it float in water? 

Its most feared predator is the harpy eagle. Luckily, the green algae that grows on its fur makes it hard for the eagle to spot it from above. The sloth mentions six different species, all living in tropical rainforests in Central and South America. The one narrating the book is a brown-throated three-toed sloth ... easy to see why. 

Each following double spread continues to inform readers about friends (bugs), food, senses, and loss of habitat. Survival is dependent on helpers who plant trees and construct rope bridges to make life better for the sloth. 

"Well, that was a lot of talking, 
and I'm pretty tired. 
Let's hang out again soon. 
Until them, YAWN ... 

           Good niiiiiiight."

The easy conversational text and its inviting questions, the rainforest setting created by John Rocco, and back matter that includes even more about sloths and the organizations that are making a difference for them makes this a welcome addition to Meet the Wild Things, The first in this series from the wife-husband team is Hello, I'm a Pangolin. 

I will look forward to seeing the third one.