Sloth and Squirrel in a Pickle

This book is a ton of fun! The two friends, Squirrel and Sloth, complement each other in every way and respect each other's strengths. The humor is wonderful throughout, from the concept to the word choices and occasional tongue twister to the artwork. Some of the funniest art is in the scene in the boss's office - a pickle phone! And the squirrel wearing a hairnet made me laugh out loud. Readers will love the funny little stories going on in the illustrations. The friendship of Sloth and Squirrel stays strong despite the failure at the pickle factory (one of the funniest reasons for a fail ever), and in the end, both friends contribute to a solution to their quandary. A funny, fulfilling tale of friendship and persistence!

Sloth and Squirrel have a problem. They want a bike but have no money. So, they decide to get jobs packing pickles. Well, well, well . . . let's just say packing pickles puts them in a bit of a pickle. I won't spoil the ending except to say that it's DILL-lightfully PICKLE-TAS-TIC! (Now, I may need to munch a pickle or two.)

I love these two unlikely friends! This book had me laughing from beginning to end. With absolutely perfect illustrations (I literally want to go back and look at the sloth and squirrel again right after we are done reading it), fabulous tongue twisters, and an unexpected twist at the end, Sloth and Squirrel in a Pickle should be on everyones reading list! It is definitely a big "dill!"

Marley's 2nd book is another home run! Lessons about difference, goals, teamwork and friendship. So much here depending on the age of the reader. A great book to spark conversation with the young reader. Thanks Ms. Mealey, your books are wonderful ways to launch conversations with young readers.

Differences can make good friends. A speedy squirrel is best friends with a slow sloth. When they see two friends ride by on a bicycle built for two, squirrel decides that is what they need, but they will have to make money. They get a job at a pickle place, bottling and labeling jars of pickles. Well, that doesn't go well and they have some problems. They don't make a lot of money, but get paid in a different way. Using their brains, they turn what could have been a bad situation into their new bike. Such a fun story about friendship and problem solving. The illustrations by Kelly Collier were wonderful. They were large, active and so funny. My granddaughter and I loved this book. She laughed and laughed, especially at Sloth's activities. This is definitely a keeper.

Sloth and Squirrel are in a bit of a pickle. 677.5 jars of pickles, to be exact.They decide to work as pickle packers to earn the money to buy the bike they want but things don’t quite go to plan. Teamwork can be a bit tricky when one member of your team is super speedy and the other is s-l-o-w.This is a cute picture book with two very different friends. This story shows our new friends working together towards a common goal, using initiative and thinking outside the box to solve a problem.The illustrations highlight how fast Squirrel is, how slow Sloth is and how expressive both friends are.Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the opportunity to read this book.

Some of my favorite stories growing up were the Beatrix Potter ones with animals that were full of personality. Author Cathy Ballou Mealey has written a delightful book in a similar vein that readers will keep thinking back fondly on, much like with me and Beatrix Potter stories.First of all, there’s the perfect pairing of contrasting friends…a manic squirrel and a sluggish sloth. Then there is the silly misadventure that they embark on. There’s something inherently hilarious about the phrase “pickle packing.” Plus, Kelly Collier’s humorous and lively illustrations offers an extra layer of exuberance. Throw them all together and you’ve got a riotous romp that is sure to tickle a lot of funny bones!

"Sloth and Squirrel in a Pickle" is a funny picture book about two friends who work together to make money to pay for something special. Sloth and Squirrel want to buy a bicycle for two, so they decide to get jobs. They score positions as pickle packers, but Mr. Peacock is less than impressed with Sloth's slow-moving work. In the end, it is Sloth's very upside-down way of looking at things that leads to an incredible invention. Filled with satisfying repetition, alliteration and internal rhyme, Sloth and Squirrel in a Pickle is a joy of a read-aloud about sticking with your friends and working together to make your shared dream come true.