{"id":13270,"date":"2025-02-28T06:43:02","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T13:43:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/?p=13270"},"modified":"2025-12-12T12:19:34","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T19:19:34","slug":"a-sloth-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/2025\/a-sloth-story\/","title":{"rendered":"A Sloth Story * A Heartfelt Theme, Great Animation And Complex Characters Like A Sloth Who Wants To Move Fast!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-13283\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/aslothstory.pooster.jpg?resize=120%2C176&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"120\" height=\"176\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/aslothstory.pooster.jpg?resize=205%2C300&amp;ssl=1 205w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/aslothstory.pooster.jpg?w=478&amp;ssl=1 478w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 120px) 100vw, 120px\" \/>After a terrifying storm destroys their home, a speedy sloth named Laura and her kooky family move to the big city in their rusted old food truck hoping to make their business a success.<\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Zoey F. comments, \u201cI really like <em>A Sloth Story! <\/em>It has a heartfelt theme, great animation and complex characters. I especially like the animation which is extremely unique and beautiful. I also find the idea of a sloth wanting to go fast humorous. Laura is constantly saying that everyone is too slow for her. This is a bit ironic considering sloths are slow-moving animals.\u201d Adele B. adds, \u201cThe movie has a terrific balance of comical and heartwarming moments. I constantly found myself entertained and laughing. I especially loved watching Luis\u2019s character with his fun sense of humor despite his challenges.\u00a0 Laura\u2019s family always supports her and has her back.\u201d Luna C. wraps it up with, \u201c<em>A Sloth Story<\/em> is a delightful and unexpected film, brimming with real-life moments, valuable lessons, and a refreshing dose of hard work that kept me hooked from start to finish.\u201d See their full reviews below.<\/p>\n<p>A Sloth Story<br \/>\nBy Zoey F., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 10<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oLTvgeCS-p4?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13274 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.2.15.png?resize=250%2C105&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.2.15.png?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.2.15.png?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/>I really like <em>A Sloth Story! <\/em>It has a heartfelt theme, great animation and complex characters.<\/p>\n<p>The plot follows Laura (Teo Vergara), a young sloth as she goes through the struggles of her life. Laura feels as though no one, especially her mother, Mama (Olivia Vasquez), takes her seriously. But after a horrible storm her family is forced to move to the city. Laura\u2019s idol, Dotty Paste (Leslie Jones) is also in the city, motivating her to want to go. After business at Laura\u2019s family\u2019s caf\u00e9 starts booming, Dotty gets jealous. She devises a plan to steal Mama\u2019s recipe book. Now, the Romero-Flores\u2019 family must try to find a way to get the precious recipe book back!<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-13271\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.1.11.png?resize=250%2C105&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.1.11.png?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.1.11.png?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/>One aspect I especially like is the animation which is extremely unique and beautiful. I also find the idea of a sloth wanting to go fast humorous. Laura is constantly saying that everyone is too slow for her. This is a bit ironic considering sloths are slow-moving animals. I also enjoyed the complexity of Mama\u2019s character. She is portrayed as Laura\u2019s main enemy. Laura feels as though her mother is always getting in her way. But it turns out that Mama was exactly like Laura when she was young. Her age is a huge struggle for her, and she keeps forgetting things, but she keeps Lyra close in fear of forgetting Laura too.<\/p>\n<p><em>A Sloth Story <\/em>explores the rich culture of Spanish culture and is incorporated in the food, language, and clothing in the film. This adds <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13277 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.3.6.png?resize=248%2C104&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"248\" height=\"104\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.3.6.png?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.3.6.png?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 248px) 100vw, 248px\" \/>a lot to the movie.<\/p>\n<p>The message of <em>A Sloth Story<\/em> is about the importance of family. This is shown when Laura sacrifices so much for her family. She is constantly reminded that her family is her ultimate team, which is an important theme to remember.<\/p>\n<p>I give <em>A Sloth Story<\/em> 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12. It releases in theaters February 28, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>A Sloth Story<br \/>\nBy Adele Rayna B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JkN3th1yeKA?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13276 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.3.5.png?resize=250%2C105&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.3.5.png?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.3.5.png?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/>A<\/em> <em>Sloth<\/em> <em>Story<\/em> is an exciting family friendly movie with heartwarming themes. The story takes you on a dynamic adventure that kept me on the edge of my seat with so many hilarious moments. Overall, the vibrant and crisp animation brings to life the engaging and unique character designs.<\/p>\n<p>The story follows Laura (Teo Vergara), a young sloth whose family owns a restaurant. After an unexpected storm destroys their restaurant, they move to the city to start over, but business isn\u2019t so good and Laura\u2018s Mom (Olivia Vasquez) and Dad (Ben Gorrono) start to think maybe the move to the big city wasn\u2019t such a good idea. Laura comes up with the idea to bring in more business which works well, but the owner of a competing restaurant (Leslie Jones) is jealous .\u00a0 Laura and her family embark on a mission fighting for their family legacy. You\u2019ll have to watch to find out if it works.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-13282\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.1.7.png?resize=250%2C105&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.1.7.png?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.1.7.png?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/>The movie has a terrific balance of comical and heartwarming moments. I constantly found myself entertained and laughing. I especially loved watching Luis\u2019s character with his fun sense of humor despite his challenges.\u00a0 Laura\u2019s family always supports her and has her back. I like Laura and her brother Mani\u2019s (Facundo Hache Herrera) relationship. They are believable as playful and loveable siblings. A perfect moment is when Laura comforts Mani, when he thinks his ideas for the mural are terrible. And, in the next scene we see him pick on Laura, but in a sweet way. One of my most memorable moments is the way the mom, Gabriella, is there for her daughter by putting her above all else. It\u2019s very touching and shows true love.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13275 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.3.3.png?resize=250%2C105&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.3.3.png?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.3.3.png?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/>The animation kept my attention with its crispness and smooth character movement. It makes it very easy to watch, like effortless paint strokes across canvas. The animation is very detailed such as the scene where little sparks form around Laura\u2019s head to highlight her worried feelings. To show excitement they added stars in her eyes. I love the overall character designs \u2013 Laura\u2019s character is fantastic, right down to the details of her necklace and the striking color of her pink belt. I also love Dotti\u2019s suit as it\u2019s very colorful and it shows her bubbly, yet mischievous, personality.<\/p>\n<p>The film\u2019s message is that family always has your back and believes in you when it matters most. Family can always see the spark in you and will stop at nothing to protect that.<\/p>\n<p>I give <em>A<\/em> <em>Sloth<\/em> <em>Story<\/em> 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12, plus adults. It releases in theaters on February 28, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>A Sloth Story<br \/>\nBy Luna C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 9<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/afy7pA1Xoe4?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13272 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.2.6.png?resize=250%2C105&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.2.6.png?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.2.6.png?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/>A Sloth Story<\/em> is a delightful and unexpected film, brimming with real-life moments, valuable lessons, and a refreshing dose of hard work that kept me hooked from start to finish.<\/p>\n<p>After a devastating storm destroys their rural home, Laura (Teo Vergara), a quick-witted sloth, and her quirky family move to the bustling big city. Eager to make their food truck business a success, they must adapt to the fast-paced, high-energy expectations of city life. Along the way, Laura juggles her responsibilities as a team member in her family business while also playing on a cricket team with her new friends.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-13278\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.3.9.png?resize=245%2C103&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"245\" height=\"103\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.3.9.png?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.3.9.png?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 245px) 100vw, 245px\" \/>This is a charming, heartfelt film. I appreciate the relatable animation and storyline \u2013 even though the film features animals, the environments and situations are familiar to real life. One of my favorite moments is when Laura finally finds time to bond with her cricket team. It\u2019s heartwarming to see her kind and welcoming relationship with her teammates. The music, composed by Aalex Heffe, is another standout element.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13273 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.2.9.png?resize=250%2C105&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.2.9.png?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/TSL_1.2.9.png?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/>With its Spanish influence, it adds a vibrant rhythm to the film that had me tapping my feet along with the characters.<\/p>\n<p>The film offers two key messages: sometimes what we think we want isn\u2019t what we truly need and home is wherever you put your heart.<\/p>\n<p>I give <em>A Sloth Story<\/em> 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 2 to 12, or anyone who enjoys a story about family, friendship, and traditions. It releases in theaters on February 28, 2025.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/22sVIyFUY1A?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After a terrifying storm destroys their home, a speedy sloth named Laura and her kooky family move to the big city in their rusted old food truck hoping to make their business a success.<br \/>\nKIDS FIRST! Film Critic Zoey F. comments, \u201cI really like A Sloth Story! It has a heartfelt theme, great animation and complex characters. I especially like the animation which is extremely unique and beautiful. I also find the idea of a sloth wanting to go fast humorous. Laura is constantly saying that everyone is too slow for her. This is a bit ironic considering sloths are slow-moving animals.\u201d Adele B. adds, \u201cThe movie has a terrific balance of comical and heartwarming moments. I constantly found myself entertained and laughing. I especially loved watching Luis\u2019s character with his fun sense of humor despite his challenges.  Laura\u2019s family always supports her and has her back.\u201d Luna C. wraps it up with, \u201cA Sloth Story is a delightful and unexpected film, brimming with real-life moments, valuable lessons, and a refreshing dose of hard work that kept me hooked from start to finish.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4949,15],"tags":[8749,8754,8763,22,8751,1783,464,8767,8760,8770,1207,8748,3633,69,8761,459,8764,1166,8762,8769,8768,3641,8757,8766,8759,8765,8753,8752,8755,8758,6807,8750,8756,2586],"class_list":["post-13270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-feature-film","category-feature-film-reviews","tag-a-sloth-story","tag-aalex-heffe","tag-ack-kinmonth","tag-animation","tag-bedtime-story","tag-by-kids-for-kids","tag-comedy","tag-dan-brumm","tag-erica-harrison","tag-facundo-hache-herrera","tag-family","tag-feel-good","tag-food","tag-friendship","tag-kristen-souvlis","tag-leslie-jones","tag-like-a-photon-creative","tag-movie-reviews","tag-nadine-bates","tag-olivia-vasquez","tag-remy-hii","tag-restaurant","tag-restaurant-business","tag-richard-cusso","tag-ryan-greaves","tag-screen-queensland-studios","tag-sleep-story","tag-sloths","tag-spanish","tag-tania-vincent","tag-teamwork","tag-teo-vergara","tag-traditions","tag-wholesome"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paS5I2-3s2","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13270","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13270"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13270\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13287,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13270\/revisions\/13287"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13270"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13270"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13270"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}