"Slowly, Slowly, Slowly," Said the Sloth

Slowly, slowly, slowly . . . that's how the sloth lives. He hangs upside-down from the branch of a tree, night and day, in the sun and in the rain, while the other animals of the rain forest rush past him. "Why are you so slow? Why are you so quiet? Why are you so lazy?" the others ask the sloth. And, after a long, long, long time, the sloth finally tells them! Set in the lush world of the tropical rain forest, this original picture book is an exquisite showcase of Eric Carle's colorful collage art-with a meaningful message: Slow down! Take time to enjoy your world.

Eric Carle has loved animals, large and small, ever since childhood, when his father would take him on walks, calling his attention to the beautiful birds, animals and insects that abounded in the woods and fields near their home. In his many popular picture books, the artist shares his fascination with nature's wonders with a worldwide audience of children. In this book Eric Carle celebrates the beauty of the Amazon rain forest and the creatures that depend on it for their existence. The appealing sloth is but one example of the many remarkable and unique creatures that are in real danger of extinction as their habitat is rapidly being destroyed by careless development. Noted zoologist Jane Goodall, in her informative foreword, makes an eloquent plea for the protection and conservation of the Amazon rain forest and other endangered habitats all over the world.