Sloth is not a baby!

A lovable young sloth alternates between optimism and uncertainty in this picture book, which offers a muddled portrait of goading-related risk-taking alongside info about animal adaptations. Initially confident, the protagonist climbs higher and higher up a tree, flying in the face of naysayer Worm, who says "baby sloths are scared of climbing so high." "I'm not a baby," Sloth muses, but her courage wavers when friend Moth obliviously dwells on the dangers of heights ("If you really think about it, you could fall. You don't have wings like me") and compares the features of other creatures, like Boa or Snail, that help them stay put. As the pals banter via a sometimes inconsistent mix of speech bubbles and text, Sloth buoys herself by repeating "I'm not a baby" until, at last, nerves overtake her. A storm tests the mettle of all the tree-dwellers, but the end result predictably leaves Sloth feeling very proud. Washed in pale hues, watercolor and digital renderings have a hand-sketched quality that aptly captures a range of emotions playing across the sympathetic face of the book's intrepid arboreal protagonist. Ages 2--5. (June)

A young forest dweller faces a new challenge with a mixture of doubt and determination. Sloth and her friend Moth climb high up in a tree before looking down to see how far they've come. Moth reminds her that Worm told them that baby sloths were too scared to climb so high, but they've shown him! Sloth retorts, "I'm not a baby"--a refrain that repeats several times over the course of the story. Though Sloth initially delivers her response with beaming confidence, fear begins to seep in with Moth's reminders that she could fall, which would be scary…if she were a baby! Sloth points out that other animals--various insects, Monkey, and Snail--are capable of climbing high. Moth counters her arguments: Insects have wings, Monkey is really fast, Snail is incredibly sticky. Close-ups of Sloth's animated facial expressions convey her growing trepidation. As Sloth becomes convinced that she will fall, a storm hits, and all the other animal friends are momentarily flung off the tree, despite their climbing advantages. Only Sloth manages a tight grasp, and as the storm lifts, Moth celebrates Sloth's unique talent for holding on. Told simply, with effective use of repetition and expressive cartoon illustrations, this story will appeal to children who are similarly finding their footing in a sometimes-scary world. An uncomplicated celebration of daily triumph for those who refuse to be babied. (Picture book. 2-5) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.