Synopses & Reviews
Sloth's phone rings and rings. He races across the room to answer the call, but he's a sloth, so it takes a while. The phone says he's won an afternoon shopping spree! Can the sloth get to the store in time to claim his prize? Yes, but it's going to take an impromptu zipline, a missed bus, a parkful of trees, an oblivious ice-cream vendor, a rainbow hang glider, and an out-of-control shopping cart to make it happen. As soon as the spree begins, the sloth crashes into a pillow display and falls asleep, exhausted from excitement. When he awakes, he finds himself the proud and happy owner of several fine new pillows. Mission accomplished.
Review
"A free shopping spree turns into a race against time never a happy idea when you're a sloth. Too logy even to get to the phone before the answering machine kicks in, Sloth learns that he has only eight hours to claim his spree at the store. Can he make it? Being narcoleptic as well as slow-moving, his ensuing odyssey quickly turns hilariously suspenseful as Seibold urges readers to form a cheering section with lines printed in a different color 'Yay, Sloth! Let's go, Sloth!' In the characteristically stylized illustrations, Sloth's frozen, masklike features add a Buster Keatonish air to his frantic efforts. Having dragged his way down the street and into the park, where a hoped-for shortcut becomes a long detour/nap, Sloth arrives in the nick of time on a stolen hang glider. His spree turns out to be short but sweet, as he immediately rams his cart into a pile of pillows and passes out. The author cranks tongue further into cheek with witty side business, like a glimpse of an Occupy! camp in the park and, at the end, a one-person pillow fight ('Yay, Sloth! You won!'). Another clever, quirky outing." Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
J. Otto Seibold is a self-taught artist from Oakland, California, best known as the author and illustrator of many renowned children's books, among them Olive, the Other Reindeer (with Vivian Walsh). His work has been exhibited and published widely. Lost Sloth marks his twentieth anniversary in children's books.