A sloth’s quest for a new tree to call home introduces him to a human family in this heartwarming holiday picture book.

Wearing his striped pajamas, Sloth writes a goal on a piece of paper and sets out northward to achieve it: “To find the perfect tree to call my home.” He’s attracted by the smells of a Christmas tree lot, which he thinks is a forest. One by one, the trees begin to disappear as they’re bought for the holidays, while Sloth tries out the ones that remain.

He climbs one tree and falls into another. When sap causes small branches to stick to his behind, he tries to shake them off, causing nettles to rain down on the people below. He spends three days making a wreath and finally finds a noble fir that seems just right. He falls deeply asleep in it, and when he awakens, he’s in the home of a warm, loving family on Christmas morning.

The story is sweet, gentle, and funny. Sloth’s appealing personality is just naïve enough to allow for the entertaining misunderstandings that drive the plot. Descriptions use vivid language and imagery; when Sloth first encounters the lot, he sees the trees as “an army of friendly triangles” and compares their smells to “An earthy cup of creamy cocoa, orange-cinnamon sponge cake, and a mint-chip ice cream cone.”

The writing is also enlivened by alliteration, with references to Sloth’s “branchy booty” and a “dashing Douglas fir,” and humor arises in Sloth’s exclamations when he finds a tree he likes: “Hubba. Hubba,” and “Meeeeeeeoooow!” Additionally, the color illustrations are warm and inviting.

A few minor elements fall short, such as the pictures depicting Sloth’s final tree, a “roughed-up rhombus with a big bite taken out.” The art shows the “bite,” but doesn’t offer visual reinforcement of the uncommon word “rhombus.”

Nonetheless, with its endearing and memorable protagonist, Sloth Finds His Perfect Tree is an enchanting holiday tale.

Also available in hardcover and ebook.