Slow Days, Fast Friends
PreSchool-Grade 2–This simple story conveys several complex messages about friendship, healing, and perspective. Howard the cheetah lives life fast–until he hurts his leg. He is humbled by his injury and must move slowly, more slowly than the slowest creature, Quince the sloth. Now moving with Quince at his pace, Howard learns the joys of dew on orchids, a splendid sunrise, and of pleasures gained from watching, listening, and thinking. As time passes, his leg heals, and he takes Quince on a whirlwind tour of the joys of being fast, such as wind in their hair and running circles around everything that moves. In the end, they achieve a balance together. The color cartoon illustrations, full of expressive animal faces, prettify the jungle animals and give a sense of the wilds of Africa as neat and clean. This quiet story is an additional purchase.–JoAnn Jonas, Chula Vista Public Library, San Diego, CACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.