Sloth Sleeps Over

by Blythe Russo

Sleepovers aren't for sleeping?

From debut author-illustrator Blythe Russo comes a delightful and heartwarming friendship story that is also perfect for bedtime.

Sloth is invited to her first sleepover at her best friend Paloma's house and even though she doesn't quite know what to expect, she's very confident in her sleep skills. She's an expert when it comes to napping, dozing, or catching some Z s, so she's ready to excel at sleepovers too.

But when she arrives, she finds out that Paloma wants to stay up all night! Will Sloth be able to keep her eyes open or is their friendship in for a rude awakening?

At its heart, Sloth Sleeps Over is a story of togetherness, and is sure to leave readers and their best pals grinning as they snooze the night away.

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Childrens, Storytime, Animals, Humor, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published April 5, 2022

Reviews

[Union County Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a hit with my great-niece (4 years old). It was the only book she wanted her mother to read to her, repeatedly! It tells the story of Sloth and her very first sleep-over. Not knowing what to expect, Sloth is sure she will love sleeping over with her friend, Paloma. Surely they will be sleeping! What else would they do? Sloth soon discovers that Paloma has other things in mind. This is a sweet story of friendship and first sleepovers. Read it to your favorite 4 year old!

- Reviewed by Sherri F.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so excited for the author-illustrator debuts by this talented artist who brings so much joy to her artwork! I'm anticipating many sloth themed sleepovers with my niece once I gift this to her!

This book is SO sweet and perfect. Get ready to have a dance party with your little readers!

[Milton Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sloth is excited to go to her very first sleepover at her best friend Paloma's house. She doesn't know what to expect but promises that she is excellent at sleepovers. When she arrives she discovers that Paloma has the entire night planned out so that they won't go to sleep. At all. Sloth is surprised that this is what a sleepover is but does her best to go with the flow. Eventually though Sloth just gets too sleepy. When she finally goes to tell her friend, Paloma is fast asleep!

This book was really precious. I loved how the author captured the excitement and planning that goes into a kids first sleepover. This is a great book for bedtime as it talks about Sloth getting sleepier and sleepier. The illustrations are adorable and really make the book come together. Definitely recommend!

Find it in our SHARE Catalog today!

Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL

[Faith Pray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this picture book! SLOTH SLEEPS OVER is the perfect funny, feel-good, comfort read that I think readers of all ages will return to again and again! I love Blythe Russo's playful, hilarious illustrations and expressive characters. What a joyful romp this book is! It's about Sloth, who gets invited to a first sleepover, and there's nothing Sloth is better at than sleeping! Only, Sloth slowly realizes that all Paloma wants to do at this sleepover is stay awake all night! What to do?! It's about anxiety, and friendship, and finding joy in new experiences, and learning that sometimes worries turn out so much better than expected. Life can be full of complicated issues, and this sweet, funny book will bring reassurance and joy to readers everywhere.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids will fall for this cozy, sweet story about Sloth's first sleepover! Debut author illustrator Blythe Russo has filled this book with all the fun of a slumber party: pizza, popcorn, ice cream, board games, and of course, friends! There's Sloth, who loves sleeping. And Paloma, who wants to stay up all night long! Sloth worries that falling asleep will ruin the party, and her attempts at staying awake are increasingly amusing. Russo has created immediately recognizable and lovable characters, playing with shape, proportion, and movement in her wonderful style. This book is a nice read-aloud for a slumber party or bedtime. It's sure to be a favorite among children who love animals and those who get the jitters about first times.

[Jyoti Gopal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sloths and Sleepovers? A perfect combination right? That’s what Sloth thinks. She’s an expert at falling asleep practically anywhere at anytime! But when she discovers that the very last thing to do on sleepovers is to sleep, Sloth worries that she won’t be up to the task. Will she disappoint her best buddy? In this sweet slumber party story, find out if Sloth manages to keep her eyes open. Children will giggle through the shenanigans that she and her best friend get up to. Author-illustrator Blythe Russo has created an adorable main character and the illustrations are playful and heartwarming. A great addition to bookshelves!

[Megan Lacera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Russo's art shines in this adorable story of a sleepy sloth invited to her first "all-nighter" sleep-over. What's a sloth who can hardly stay awake during the day supposed to do late at night? Kids will love following the adventures of Sloth and her sleepover buddy, Paloma as they play games, have spontaneous dance parties, eat popcorn and watch movies, and try their darnedest to fend off the zzzz's. A great book for pre-sleepover fun or anytime!

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun friendship read! My daughter just hosted her first sleepover and this book captures all the magic and excitement that is layered in having friends stay the night, especially wanting to stay up late! So Sloth is the perfect character to bring in the experience. Russo's illustration style is so lovely, paired with this fun story with heart, expect many "Aww's" and big smiles.

[Elizabeth Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an adorable book-perfectly written and illustrated. Children will enjoy its fun text and beautifully colored pictures. This is perfect for storytimes and bedtime, too. I highly recommend!

[Brandon Dyer (Children's Librarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny and cute story for all animal loves about a sloth that gets invited to a sleepover.

[Brigitte · Rating 4 out of 5]

VERY cute. I think I can relate to the personality of a sloth always wanting to sleep. :D

[Lisa Tolin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a charming read - perfect for a kid heading to a sleepover, or just bedtime! Sloth is excited to get a sleepover invitation, because sloths are so good at sleeping. But it turns out her host child is really good at staying awake all night. Sloth struggles to keep her eyes open through the all-night party until she knows she'll have to come clean about her need for sleep. Good thing little humans need sleep, too. The illustrations convey sloth's energy as she sags and drags and tries to be a good friend. Adorable!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sloth is excited to go to her very first sleepover at her best friend Paloma's house. She doesn't know what to expect but promises that she is excellent at sleepovers. When she arrives she discovers that Paloma has the entire night planned out so that they won't go to sleep. At all. Sloth is surprised that this is what a sleepover is but does her best to go with the flow. Eventually though Sloth just gets too sleepy. When she finally goes to tell her friend, Paloma is fast asleep!

This book was really precious. I loved how the author captured the excitement and planning that goes into a kids first sleepover. This is a great book for bedtime as it talks about Sloth getting sleepier and sleepier. The illustrations are adorable and really make the book come together. Definitely recommend!

[Ellen Leventhal · Rating 5 out of 5]

My grandkids absolutely love this book! Russo's words and fun, expressive art make it a joy to read. When Sloth is invited to his first sleepover, he couldn't be more excited. After all, Sloth is a champion sleeper! But when he finds out that his friend Paloma's idea of a sleepover does not have anything to do with sleep (She wants to stay up all night!) he's not quite as excited. This is NOT what a sloth expects. This sweet and funny story validates Sloth's anxiety in a comforting way and highlights the healing power of friendship. I highly recommend SLOTH SLEEPS OVER. Children will want to read it again and again.

[Laura Lavoie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, this story is so sweet! Readers will root for Sloth, who is attending her first sleepover and is excited to show off her superb sleeping abilities. The catch? Sleepover host Paloma wants to stay up ALL NIGHT. Russo's clever language and fun-filled illustrations make this story sheer delight. A great bedtime (or anytime) read that is sure to please little ones, parents, and teachers alike.

[Lori Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course, Sloth would be the perfect invite to a slumber party! This sweet and gorgeously illustrated picture book is a great primer for your child's first sleep away from home (and it just might nudge your kiddo to actually get some ZZZs!). You will giggle at Sloth's valiant attempts to stay awake ALL night long. Luckily the story ends with everyone getting some shut-eye (which means this story would make for a lovely bedtime book any night of the week!).

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used to be a Paloma, but these days I'm much more of a Sloth. I have a few houseplants, I stay awake for pizza, and I break up my evenings with spontaneous dance parties. Also, with grapefruits in season right now, I find myself in the company of a Paloma quite frequently.

Sloth Sleeps Over is utterly delightful and Russo's art is so, so charming. This is a definite must buy for any child, whether they are a Sloth or a Paloma.

[Dianne White · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's impossible to read SLOTH SLEEPS OVER without being smitten by sweet, big-hearted Sloth. Even though she has no idea what a sleepover *is*, she's already an expert. After all, who sleeps better than Sloth? Sleeping is her # 1 favorite hobby! She's a superb snoozer, a top-notch napper, and a dutiful dozer.

Little does she know that her friend Paloma has other plans - pizza, games, spontaneous dance parties and more! This book is perfect for sleep-loving and sleep-over fans everywhere!

[Megan Litwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sloth is invited to her first sleepover. Hooray! But when she finds out that sleepovers aren’t all about sleeping, she starts to worry. Will it be “a di-ZZZZ-aster”? Children will love sharing this all-night party with best friends Sloth and Paloma, and the adorably expressive illustrations perfectly showcase the range of emotions that come along with all new experiences.

[Ashley S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sloth is excited for her first sleepover because she's an expert sleeper. But when she finds out sleepovers don't actually involve a lot of sleep, she tries her best to stay awake not to disappoint her friend, Paloma and ruin their friendship. Sloth soon discovers she's not the only one struggling to stay awake. My 4yo loves sloths and this was a perfect book for his birthday.

[Eija · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sweet picture book is a wonderful introduction to sleep overs. Beautifully illustrated, with so many great details about an exciting and (sometimes nervous) new experience. The how-to /introduction book parents and kids didn’t know they needed, a great conversation starter and super cute story.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sloth is super excited to go to her first sleepover at Paloma's house because she is a great sleeper. When she gets there, she learns that they are going to stay up all night. Uh oh. How will Sloth do it? What a great book to read for a first sleepover, an evening storytime, or a stuffed animal sleepover! It's okay to not stay up all night at a sleepover!

[Valerie Bolling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun story that kids will love – whether they’ve had a sleepover or not. If they haven’t, they'll want to have one after this, so parents be prepared. I particularly enjoyed Blythe’s alliterative phrases and illustrations of Sloth (especially Sloth's private dance party!).

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a clever, fun and adorable book about sleeping and sleepovers! Sloth is super excited about her very first sleepover, because she's an expert sleeper. But her friend Paloma is an expert at not sleeping. Love the illustrations and the story!

[Jared White · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book about a sloth's first sleepover. Sleepovers are all about sleeping, right? Well, Sloth is great at that! But then she finds out sleepovers are all about staying up! She's not so good at doing that but maybe it will turn out okay? Read to find out!

[Elizabeth P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful picture book! Besides having the cutest illustrations, the alliteration, creativity, and humor in the book are amazing. It makes a great bedtime book for my little one because the books ending leaves a great tone for calming down. Love it!

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute loved it

[Jolynne Dougherty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sloth is a great sleeper so she is excited to go to her first sleepover because there will be a lot of sleeping, right?

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute!

[Cuddle Spike]

Would be great for pyjama storytime