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Smile, Breathe, and Go Slowly: Slumby the Sloth Goes to School

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Smile, Breathe, and Go Slowly: Slumby the Sloth Goes to School

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Overview

It's Slumby the sloth's first day of school in the rainforest. Can he keep up with everyone and still be himself? An adorable Slumby poster is included!

Everyone loves Slumby; he's kind, he's most always happy, and butterflies follow him everywhere. Slumby knows that the other students at school like him, except that he moves...so...very...slowly.

When he is too slow to compete in the turtle race, or play boa rope, or play armadillo ball, what is he to do? It can be hard to be left out. Then again, when one of his classmates is in danger, Slumby might be the only one who can help.

Acclaimed Italian duo author Chiara Carminati and illustrator Roberta Angaramo work together to create a sweet, heartfelt story about how people have different strengths.

Backing the book jacket is a poster of Slumby.

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About the Author

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823442461
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	09/15/2020
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Chiara Carminati has written over 25 books for children from her home in Italy, Smile, Breathe, and Go Slowly being her first book with Holiday House. Chiara has dedicated much of her life to encouraging children to read and has won several awards including the Terre del Magnifio and the Premio Andersen—Il mondo dell'infanzia award.

Roberta Angaramo has illustrated more than thirty titles with publishers all over the world, including A Perfect Home for a Family and Dog in Boots. She lives in Italy in a small rural village. Visit her on the web at www.robertaangaramo.com.

From the B&N Reads Blog

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Editorial Reviews

06/15/2020
The Italian collaborators offer a whimsical tale starring a sloth who savors his family’s mellow lifestyle, which involves perching on a tree branch, surrounded by butterflies, and breathing deeply—and very slowly. Slumby has a rude awakening on his first day of school, when his father (amusingly holding a clock while hanging upside-down from a branch overhead) rouses him early, and he must dress and eat breakfast “in a hurry” before setting off on a leisurely amble to school, arriving just before noon. Though his classmates and teacher cannot resist Slumby’s “serene smile,” the sluggish marsupial doesn’t join in recess games, instead hanging out in a tree alone, growing sad until he (unexpectedly speedy in the water) saves a friend’s life and enlightens his peers to the rewards of a sloth’s pace. Rendered in crayons and acrylic paints, Angaramo’s similarly understated and droll illustrations put a diverting spin on Slumby and his friends. Ages 3–7. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

03/01/2021
Gr 1–4—Slumby, like most sloths, is slow, and when it comes time to go to school, Slumby is late. He is slower than the rest of his quick-moving classmates, even the turtle. Slumby is left behind at recess, and he doesn't fit in. However, when his armadillo classmate tumbles into a river and is swept away, Slumby surprises everyone by leaping into the river and rescuing him. After this heroic ordeal, Slumby's classmates celebrate him, and they even slow down and spend time with him on occasion. Illustrations are a mix of crayon and acrylic paints on watercolor paper. The vibrant colors of the anthropomorphic characters and their outfits pop against the gentle watercolor backgrounds. Slumby the sloth is adorable and expressive. He wears stylish blue overalls that contrast well with his brown fur and help him stand out among his furry and scaly pals. Slumby's big reveal—that he is basically Michael Phelps in the water—will surprise most children. The book starts with sloth family yoga, which matches the peaceful title, but for those seeking a book on mindfulness, this is not it. VERDICT The value of this additional purchase is in its moral: Don't make assumptions.—Chance Lee Joyner, Haverhill P.L., MA

School Library Journal

2020-06-30
Think your school mornings are hectic?
Slumby and his sloth family take things very slowly, which is fine until he starts school. A double-page spread with small scenes marked by an analog clock showing different times depicts Slumby’s morning rush. Those who can tell time will be astounded at just how long his routine takes him; even beginning at 3:45 a.m., he’s still a half-day late to school, just in time for recess. But Slumby does everything so slowly that he can’t jump rope, participate in the turtle race, or play armadillo ball (yep, that’s what it sounds like). Sad, he spends his recesses observing the butterflies that constantly surround him (á la Pigpen’s dirt in “Peanuts”) until the day the armadillo lands in the river with a hungry crocodile. It’s Slumby to the rescue! Though the book doesn’t provide this fact, sloths can swim up to three times as fast as they can walk on land. Whether that’s fast enough to effect a rescue from a crocodile is debatable, but regardless, Slumby’s classmates are now willing to change their activities so the hero sloth can be included. While the title and cover may bring to mind meditation, this is not a mindfulness book but one about a unique newcomer who’s accepted only once he proves his worth. Angaramo’s adorable cartoon animals wear clothing and have pleasingly mobile expressions. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 31% of actual size.)
Look elsewhere to learn about sloth behavior, punctuality, and how to be a good friend to someone who’s different from you. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews

"The Italian collaborators offer a whimsical tale starring a sloth who savors his family’s mellow lifestyle, which involves perching on a tree branch, surrounded by butterflies, and breathing deeply— and very slowly. . . . Rendered in crayons and acrylic paints, Angaramo’s similarly understated and droll illustrations put a diverting spin on Slumby and his friends." —Publishers Weekly

"The vibrant colors of the anthropomorphic characters and their outfits pop against the gentle watercolor backgrounds. Slumby the sloth is adorable and expressive."—School Library Journal

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