Waiting on Mr. Sloth. Katy Hudson. 2023. Capstone. 32 pages. [Source: ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
I don’t often review children’s books anymore, but I can’t turn down anything sloth related. I was in for such a treat with Waiting on Mr. Sloth and am sure the little in your life will love (and relate) to this story.
All Sasha wants to do is go swimming with Mr. Sloth. But, being a sloth, he’s so slow and is keeping her from enjoying the only thing she wants to do. It’s not just Mr. Sloth that keeps Sasha from her swim — the two encounter obstacles that exist solely to derail an otherwise fun day in the water.
I love this book’s choice of a sloth as Sasha’s foil. He’s nothing if not true to his nature — he’s not rushing anything. Sasha’s frustration, however, leads to a great teachable moment about patience, mindfulness, and just going with the flow. It’s perfectly worded for young readers and is presented in a way that makes the lesson easily digested and understood. As a treat, the book also provides a list of easy and accessible tips for managing feelings of impatience and frustration.
The story itself is great, but the illustrations shine. The imagery is vibrant eye-catching, with great detail to scene-setting. I enjoyed the background of the illustrations almost as much as the main action. I also appreciated Hudson’s inclusion in this book. Although not a main part of the story, she features a child fishing on a pier while using a wheelchair, and has Sasha wearing a sleep bonnet. These are details that might not mean a lot to some, but will go a long way in helping a child see themselves reflected in this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed Waiting on Mr. Sloth, and already plan to buy a copy when it’s released in a few months. It has a perfect balance of a story that’s short and sweet, but not rushed. It’ll be a great read for a read-along or for an emerging reader to try on their own. Either way, they’ll be in for a great read.
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