Sloth's Birthday Party

by Diane Redfield Massie

Sloth plans a birthday party but is afraid no one will come because they don't like his messy house.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1976

Reviews

[Kyle Bledsoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites as a kid. One if the few childrens books I still remembered as an adult. I bought a copy recently do that i could read it again and I'm amused that how much I turned out like Sloth.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sloth’s house is a mess, and when he invites his friends in for a meal, it’s a disaster. The soup is cold because rainwater coming through the ceiling has put out the fire in his stove and diluted the soup. In fact, rain is pouring in everywhere, a section of the roof gives way, and the friends scurry for the exit. Now Sloth is really worried, because his birthday is coming up, and he’s afraid (with good reason) that nobody will come. The intrepid friends surprise him, however. They show up with gifts that will help him fix up his house, and they go to work with him. Finally everybody enjoys the birthday cake in a neat, cozy house, and they have a fine time together. But we can all see a problem coming up: will Sloth’s house stay fixed up, and will he keep it neat? He’s a sloth, after all. We can pretty well guess the answer because we all have some of Sloth’s tendencies in ourselves. But this is a kids’ book, and it ends on a high note, and we close it and put it away on the shelf.

[Chandra Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Sloth's Birthday Party" was gifted to me when I turned 4 and I read it thousands of times . The dainty yet detailed illustrations support the story, which takes place in a rainforest populated by animals who own things and try to stick together but also roll their eyes behind one another's backs. I wished I had a chair like sloth's when his got broken, and an exciting hole in the ceiling, and a devil-may-care friend who still ate the soup no matter what fell in. Spoiler alert: big, fat happy ending with a cleaned up house and a pretty cake. In a nut--I mean *armadillo*--shell, this story is a wish-fulfillment cum fairy tale for children who love the squalor of their personal space and secretly plan on someone else swooping in to clean.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved all the characters. I know them all personally. I'll have to be careful not to call them "Rat" or "Sloth" when I see them next.

A previous poster complained that Sloth didn't learn his lesson. I think he did, just not the one the poster wanted him to.

Was it Sloth that needed to learn something? It's whoever you are that has something to learn.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book lacked something, which disappointed me because I usually like Massie's books. Sloth never does learn the lesson that he should clean up his place if he wants company. However, his friends do accept him as he is, which is good. Not one of her best.

[Farrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely illustrations filled with whimsy and color. My favorite book as a child.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another childhood favorite. I wish I had known about all her books!

[Shannon P · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this older book about 6 years ago and I think I've only read it one other time before pulling it off my shelf for my birthday this year. The story didn't stick with me before and it really isn't sticking with me now.

Sloth lives in a tree in a comfortable, well lived in, yet cluttered home. Sloth is ok with these surroundings, but when he hears of a friend's birthday party being planned just below his window, he wonders why his friends never want to spend time at his house. The reader finds out just how well lived in Sloth's house is when his friends come for a visit and a meal.

I remember about three things that happened during that visit and then the rest of the book is lost on me. I don't even remember why the friends finally agreed to come over to his house after such a long time of avoiding it. This book isn't very long, it just doesn't doesn't have a very good climax or turning point...or maybe it's just not memorable.

I feel sad I really wanted to love this book because of my long-running love of sloths and what felt like it could be many different stories in the beginning. I had even hoped for something similar to a Frog and Toad style story, but I feel as if I was let down. 😔

[Jenna Montgomery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected tale of a sloth home needing serious TLC and his friends all coming together to help him make it a nice welcoming space.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a disastrous visit to his house, Sloth is afraid his friends will not come to his birthday party.