July 1, 2002
With a preface by Jane Goodall, an emphasis on Amazon rain forest animals and Carle's bright, trademark collages, this book is sure to find a wide audience. All the animals in the rain forest watch as the sloth "slowly, slowly, slowly" crawls along a tree branch or "slowly, slowly, slowly" eats a leaf. "Why are you so slow?" they ask, "...so quiet, ...so boring?" The sloth does not answer until the jaguar asks why he is lazy. In the volume's densest chunk of text, the sloth replies with an unexpected barrage of adjectives, admitting that, while he is "sluggish, lethargic, placid, calm, mellow, laid-back and, well, slothful," he is "not lazy... that's just how I am. I like to do things slowly,/ slowly,/ slowly." The narrative's use of simple repeated phrases requires readers to ape the protagonist—the text compels them to slow down. Colorful endpapers name all of the animals introduced in Carle's signature collage illustrations, with a setting particularly well-suited to his jewel-like palette. Children will readily identify with the hero's need to move at his own pace. The sweet, moss-covered sloth will especially appeal to rushed families who will find in Carle's attractive book a brief respite from their hurried lives. Ages 2-6.