Mervin the Sloth Is About to Do the Best Thing in the World

by Colleen AF Venable, Ruth Chan (Illustrator)

Overview

Mervin the Sloth is just standing there quietly when giant letters drop onto the page: “Mervin the Sloth is about to do the best thing in the world.” But what is the best thing in the world? What is Mervin about to do? 

It doesn’t take long for all of Mervin’s exuberant animal friends to barge in with their own ideas. Flying! Digging! Gazelling! Wait, gazelling? Is that even a word?

If only sloths weren’t so slow! Because maybe it’s something even better. But only Amy the red panda sticks around to see it.

This inventive picture book balances zany, pitch-perfect humor with warmth and heart—and irresistibly huggable animal characters. Fans of The Book with No Pictures and The Monster at the End of This Book will delight in the way it plays with form, makes you laugh out loud, and introduces us all to our new, very slow-moving best friend.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062338471
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/13/2016
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Colleen AF Venable is the author of the picture books The Oboe Goes Boom Boom Boom, Mervin the Sloth Is About to Do the Best Thing in the World, and Amy the Red Panda Is Writing the Best Story in the World. She is also the author of several graphic novels, including Katie the Catsitter, the Guinea Pig: Pet Shop Private Eye series, and Kiss Number 8, which was longlisted for the 2019 National Book Award. Colleen AF Venable lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Ruth Chan spent her childhood tobogganing in Canada, her teens living in and exploring China, a number of years studying art and education, and a decade working with youth and families in underserved communities. She now writes and illustrates in Brooklyn, New York, where she can often be found chatting with her neighbors. Visit www.ohtruth.com for more info.

Editorial Reviews

06/13/2016
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.)

Publishers Weekly

Mervin has top billing, but the real star of Venable’s semi-metafictional story is the title itself…The repartee…and Chan’s cartoon choreographing of the argumentative cast crackle with silly energy.” — Publishers Weekly

“A best thing, indeed. …Chan’s appealing, cartoon-style watercolor illustrations enhance the humor of the text throughout the picture book and employ a distinct, memorable style. A book to hug close and then share with a friend.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Emerging readers will delight in reading this metafiction narrative. ...The simple, distinguished watercolor illustrations create drama, and the details on every page invite repeated viewings. A fabulous choice for young readers and for storytime sharing.” — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

10/01/2016
PreS-Gr 1—Emerging readers will delight in reading this metafiction narrative. The text descends from the top of the pages over the course of four spreads. The words of the work are the title itself, and a red fox watches with approval as Mervin the sloth stands nearby. A bird collides with the text and complains about its placement; he knows the best thing in the world is flying. Moles pop up from the green bottom of the page—for them the best thing is digging. A gazelle prances by, and other animals come on the scene offering opinions of what the best thing in the world would be, ranging from being president of the world to fighting a shark to inventing a time machine. They bicker and wait, and finally readers see the best thing in the world when Mervin hugs his best friend, the unnamed fox. The simple, distinguished watercolor illustrations create drama, and the details on every page invite repeated viewings. VERDICT A fabulous choice for young readers and for storytime sharing.—Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI

School Library Journal

2016-07-26
A slow-jam of a meta–picture book leads up to a best thing, indeed.Frontmatter shows the eponymous Mervin standing on the recto as the title slowly descends in large type from the top of the double-page spread. Eventually a red panda enters on the verso and notices the textual announcement, which remains, dominating the background. “Whooooa…” it says. Other animals join the scene, each one noticing the words and eventually suggesting what the “best thing” might be. Being a sloth, Mervin is in no hurry to respond or to act, and the bird, gazelle, skunk, llama, and other creatures crowding the spread weigh in with humorous ideas delivered in speech-balloon text. The crowding of the spreads makes the animals’ eventual departure all the more dramatic, and when all but the red panda and Mervin leave the scene, new text descends above the red panda on the verso and Mervin, his arms outstretched, on the recto. It reads: “Hug his best friend.” The penultimate spread shows the embracing friends united on the verso with just the words “best friend” on the facing page, and then everyone returns to gaze adoringly at the pair at book’s end. Chan’s appealing, cartoon-style watercolor illustrations enhance the humor of the text throughout the picture book and employ a distinct, memorable style. A book to hug close and then share with a friend. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Review