Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths

Gr 1–4—Peter and Ernesto are sloths who enjoy a placid life of hibiscus munching and cloud watching. Ernesto declares that he wants to see the sky and sets off, eventually making it to the Arctic to see the northern lights, with the help of a gentle whale. Peter, meanwhile, distraught at being left behind and fearful for his friend's safety among many imagined perils, goes after him, guided by other creatures. This is a funny, touching tale. The sloths are thickly outlined, hill-like creatures with big eyes and occasionally flailing limbs. Their exaggerated movements and expressions will help emerging readers decode the vocabulary and connect with the emotions conveyed by the text. The characters' different notions of adventure and bravery recall other odd couple friendships, such as Mo Willems's "Elephant and Piggie" and Holly Hobbie's "Toot and Puddle."