Staff Pick
Sparky the sloth can play dead! He can also do countless other tricks! Like play dead! And sleep! With lovely, quirky illustrations, Sparky! is a sweet, quiet, funny story about coming to love someone even when they don't turn out to be who you expected. Recommended By Gigi L., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
The ingenious author of 17 Things I'm Not Allowed to Do Anymore and a brilliant illustrator and production designer of the Coraline movie have created a hilarious, touching picture book perfect for young animal lovers. Like the Caldecott Medal-winning Officer Buckle and Gloria, Sparky stars a pet who has more to offer than meets the eye. When our narrator orders a sloth through the mail, the creature that arrives isn't good at tricks or hide-and-seek... or much of anything. Still, there's something about Sparky that is irresistible.
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About the Author
Jenny Offill is the author of
17 Things I’m Not Allowed to Do Anymore, a
Parenting Magazine Best Book of the Year and a Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book of the Year, and
11 Experiments That Failed, also a Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book of the Year, which
Kirkus Reviews, in a starred review, called “the most joyful and clever whimsy.”
Chris Appelhans has worked on several films. He was an illustrator and production designer for Coraline, an environment designer Fantastic Mr. Fox, and a visual development artist for The Princess and the Frog. This is his first picture book.