Mindful Mr. Sloth

Readers meet high-energy Sasha Patience Prudence, who races through her days accomplishing as many activities as possible and leaving a trail of books, musical instruments, and toys in her wake. "She loved to do lots of things, all at once. She had one speed--fast." Then Mr. Sloth tumbles from a tree branch into her life. Though Sasha means to have slow Mr. Sloth as her new best friend, their different approaches present challenges. Undaunted, Sasha keeps pushing Mr. Sloth into activities, including the neighborhood race. Cartoony illustrations capture the comedy as the pair rushes along, Sasha's expression of heightened concentration juxtaposed with Mr. Sloth's solemn features and reactive eyes. During the race, Mr. Sloth (who rides up front in the bicycle basket) insists, repeatedly, that she stop--to hear the birds, to smell the flowers, to be still--and with every stop they lag farther behind, until she loses interest in the race altogether. Thus these two really do become friends and find a balance between them, approaching their days with a varied pace but always slowing down each night for snuggles and stories. And in case anyone hurries through the story too quickly to absorb what Sasha learns from Mr. Sloth, the book concludes with a more pointed list of mindfulness tips.--Julie Roach "Horn Book Magazine"