Mervin the sloth is about to do the best thing in the world / by Colleen AF Venable ; illustrated by Ruth Chan.

Title:

Author:

Venable, Colleen A. F.

Additional Author(s):

Chan, Ruth, 1980-

ISBN:

9780062338471

0062338471

Edition:

First edition.

Publication Info:

New York, NY :

Description:

40 unnumbered pages : color illustrations ; 24 x 29 cm

Summary:

Mervin the Sloth is about to do the best thing in the world. Can you guess what it is? "Flying!" says the bird. "Gazelling!" says the gazelle. "Digging!" says the prairie dog. Hurry up, Mervin! But Mervin moves so slowly. Are you patient enough to wait? No? Turn the page!

Reading Level:

Ages 4-8.

Subject(s):

Sloths -- Juvenile fiction.

Animals -- Juvenile fiction.

Friendship -- Juvenile fiction.

Patience -- Juvenile fiction.

Holds: Copies (not including on-order items):

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Call Number	Shelf Location	Status	Item Holds
Searching... Cheyenne Library	Children's Book	VENA	Children's-J-Easy	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable
Searching... Library 21c	Children's Book	VENA	Children's-J-Easy	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable
Searching... Library 21c	Children's Book	VENA	Children's-J-Easy	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable
Searching... Library 21c	Children's Book	VENA	Children's-J-Easy	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

As Mervin the Sloth stands silently, giant letters drop onto the page: "Mervin the Sloth is about the do the best thing in the world!." But what is the best thing in the world What is Mervin about to do All the animals barge in with their own ideas. Digging, flying, becoming president, doing everyone's homework Everyone is waiting, but Mervin is so slow . . . and they all wander off. All except Amy the Red Panda. The best thing in the world Hugging your best friend. In her debut picture book, Colleen AF Venable balances zany, pitch-perfect humor with warmth and heart. Ruth Chan's artwork brings to life a cast of irresistibly huggable animal characters. These two talented and funny women have created a book that plays with form, makes you laugh out loud, and introduces us all to our new, very slow-moving, best friend.

Reviews (1)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Mervin has top billing, but the real star of Venable's (the Guinea Pea, Pet Shop Private Eye series) semi-metafictional story is the title itself. Rendered in chunky block letters, it drops (slowly) into the first spread and serves as narrative scaffolding for everything that follows. Having made its announcement about Mervin-who is placidity on steroids-the title draws an ever-growing group of animal kibitzers. Debating what Mervin is going to do, a bird (who has crashed into the word the) announces, "Everybody knows that the best thing in the world is..." but before he can say "flying," a gopher chimes in with "Digging!" As more characters gather around the typography, the speculation runs the gamut from "Mervin is going to do all our homework!" to "Mervin's going to invent a time machine!" The "best thing" revealed at the end (also announced in giant type) is both sweet and something of a letdown. But the repartee that precedes it and Chan's (Where's the Party?) cartoon choreographing of the argumentative cast crackle with silly energy. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary. Illustrator's agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.