GO, SLOTH, GO!

A sloth awakens in a jungle and begins her ponderous ascent in search of the tastiest leaves at the top of the canopy.

Along the way, an unseen narrator offers encouragement with the repeated phrase “Go, Sloth, go, Sloth, go, Sloth, go!” As she inches closer to the sky and open views, blues begin to enter the initially verdant palette, and after she finally finds and snacks on the delicious leaves, the sun starts to set, bathing the now-sleeping sloth in a soothing orange glow. Concise but effective rhymes and frequent repetition of the titular refrain make for a reading experience as steady and cheery as the sloth herself is. Little ones will enjoy the chance to chime in once they pick up the rhythm, but the deliberate pace of the story could just as easily lull them to sleep; indeed, the text itself seems to fade in color as the sloth falls asleep. The subtle jungle background lets the stylized black sloth and the words take the spotlight, furthering the mellow atmosphere, though the silhouettes of a few other small animals drifting by make for a beautifully realized setting. As in her The Pelican Can! (2024), Yuly immerses readers in the natural world; young people will be entirely invested in her sleepy subject’s ultimately satisfying journey.

Simultaneously cozy and utterly engaging in its simplicity.