A motivating picture book designed to inspire healthy choices.
Sloth is more than your average dragon. So much more, in fact, that he can no longer fly. Even standing upright is a challenge for this severely overweight dragon. Content with his lazy life, Sloth is surprised when a courageous dwarf enters his mountain hideout. The dwarf, Radish, tactfully inquires about the massive dragon’s health and offers his assistance. Intrigued by Radish’s boldness, Sloth agrees to accept the man’s help. In exchange, the fearsome dragon concedes that he will not eat Radish’s brothers and sisters.
Regaining health is no easy project when you’ve spent so much time lazing on your horde of gold. Sloth has even taken to subsisting on a diet of mountain goats that happen to wander too close, rather than venturing outside for food. It takes months of effort and a huge change in diet before Sloth notices a difference in his physique. Good choices and consistent effort eventually enable the dragon to regain his mobility and his freedom. Grateful for the dwarf’s tireless help and encouragement, Sloth leaves Radish with a generous gift and flies off into a beautiful sunset.
Sloth the Lazy Dragon is a motivating picture book designed to inspire healthy choices in children, and with childhood obesity rates continually on the rise, it is certainly an important and timely subject. Pairing the benefits of a healthier lifestyle with the whimsy of a fire-breathing dragon is clever, making nutrition and fitness something kids will want to talk about. Humorous details are just waiting to be discovered within the illustrations, like Sloth’s colorful sweatbands and exercise equipment scattered around the giant pile of treasure. Challenging vocabulary words are peppered throughout the text, adding an additional benefit to inquisitive children who are keen to learn new things. A great way to broach the topic of a nutritious diet, Sloth the Lazy Dragon is just the right combination of entertainment and illumination.
