Sylvie Sloth Becomes a Sleuth
Sylvie Sloth is about to solve her first big case. But, this mystery is a little too close to home . . .
It’s September 1st . . .
Which means almost time to head back to school!
And, of course, a brand new B-Side Story, inspired by books from my old school days a long, LONG time ago . . .
There was one series of books in particular that shaped the things I love to write about today.
The Bailey School Kids, by Debbie Dadey and Marcia T. Jones, opened my world to vampires, monsters, werewolves and wizards. I couldn’t wait for the next book in the series to come out.
And like so many good book series (Nancy Drew, Boxcar Children) there was always a mystery to be solved.
Was the gym teacher really a werewolf? Was the new janitor actually Santa Claus in disguise? It was up to the Bailey School students to put on their detective hats to find out!
This month’s tale is my own attempt at a mystery, featuring a detective who is looking to earn more fame than Harriet the Spy and Scooby-Doo’s squad combined.
Sylvie is a sloth with a secret dream of becoming the jungle’s greatest sleuth. A sleuthing sloth? It’s a bit of a tongue-twister, but I hope you’ll enjoy spying on all the creatures in the rainforest alongside Sylvie, as she tries to solve her very first case . . .
Oh, and before we begin the story, a few bits of very important news:
B-Side Stories will soon be saying “THE END” - Yes, there are only 2 more stories left coming to your inbox!
After two years of publishing my newsletter, it is time to shift from B-Side stories to A-track material (a.k.a. my full length picture books!)
I am so grateful for the support and I hope to keep you in my “fan” club, by continuing to follow my work on social media, and soon on my website (in the works).
If you are an annual subscriber, subscriptions will be charged until November 1st, 2023 and refunded for any months there after. Monthly subscriptions will end as of November 1st, 2023.
Thank you so much to my paid subscribers (and all my readers!) who have helped create space for me to work, write, and spread the joy of reading.
And last but not least . . .
I will soon be launching preorders for my new children’s picture book, Where Do Stories Come From . . . ?
That’s right!
It’s my great pleasure to announce the big reveal of my second book. The launch was set for September 1st - but, for a monster-mash up of reasons I have decided to delay the campaign for a week, or so. The good news is, I will be extending the time period for buyers to purchase their book, so you will have plenty of time to ensure you get a copy.
Head to my Kickstarter Prelaunch page to sign up for an alert for the campaign.
At last, it’s time for your sloth-filled September tale . . .
Sylvie Sloth Becomes a Sleuth
By caitlin nicole evans
Dedicated to Olivia Hessey. It is no mystery that (just like Sylvie), you are going to accomplish extraordinary things. Enjoy . . .
Click below to LISTEN along to the audio version. But, scroll down to see LOTS of pictures . . .
Sylvie grew up in the rainforest, where a young sloth faced their fair share of challenges.
Anacondas looking for a scrumptious meal.
Crocodiles with a hidden agenda.
And, of course, like many young sloths, Sylvie’s parents were always pestering her to finish her homework.
“You have to get good grades, Sylvie,” her father, Mr. Sloth, insisted.
“You can be anything you want to be when you grow up.” Sylvie’s mom, Mrs. Sloth, was always so positive.
But for Sylvie, she already had the future all figured out.
She knew precisely what she wanted to do.
Who she was born to BE.
Sylvie the sloth would become the world’s greatest. . .
SLEUTH!
The most secretive spy!
The most dedicated detective!
Yes, Sylvie wanted to solve mysteries.
And, since she still had to go to school, she tried to use the playground to hone her skills.
Spying at recess.
Reading plenty of mysteries.
And learning the perfect penmanship from her teacher Mrs. Dawdle.
Despite the dangers of the jungle, Sylvie was willing to take the risk and explore the rainforest for cases and clues!
Unfortunately, some of the other critters at school felt that Sylvie was facing greater obstacles than hungry snakes and wily crocodiles.
They weren’t sure a sloth could really cut it as a spy . . .
Sylvie knew that all of this was true.
It would make far more sense for a sloth to become an arborist.
Or, write a cook book.
Sloths were also known to make excellent gymnasts.
But, Sylvie didn’t want to cut down trees, or make stew, or master the art of the monkey bars.
Sylvie wanted to be a sleuth, and sleuthing was precisely what she would do!
To prove to everyone - including herself - that she could do it, Sylvie would simply have to solve her very first case.
Fortunately, Sylvie took after her mother and was very optimistic.
She focused on her strengths, and found advantages within her so-called obstacles.
What she lacked in sharp eyesight, she made up for with a very nosey nose.
She could find and follow any scent, and pick up on clues other creatures would miss.
Sylvie’s slowness meant she knew how to take her time. She was excellent at observing the details, waiting with patience, and taking meticulous notes to record all that she discovered.
It was hard to hear from far away, but up close Sylvie could easily eavesdrop. She found creative ways to sneak up close, thinking outside the canopy.
Climbing trees was a sloth’s greatest strength.
Sylvie could get an excellent vantage point, and hang out all day if she needed to.
Plus, who knew that sloth’s were such excellent swimmers!
Even mysteries in the world of water could be solved by Sylvie the sleuth.
Slowly, Sylvie sharpened her spy skills, like a jaguar sharpened their claws.
But, she was still on the prowl for a real mystery.
And finally, a big case fell into her three-toed palm.
“Now, I don’t want to gossip,” said Tiny Toucan, “But, Mrs. Sloth has a very big secret.”
“Oh, I knooooow,” said Toucan Trish.
Sylvie listened closely. Afterall, toucans were known for having very big beaks.
“I heard she doesn’t want her daughter to find out.”
“Well, if it is what I think it is, she won’t be able to keep it a secret forever.”
Sylvie was shocked.
Afterall they were talking about her mom, and as far as Sylvie knew Mrs. Sloth was very truthful.
She never hid anything from Sylvie.
What could the mystery be?
Sylvie would have never guessed that her first big case would involve her own family, but she had to follow the clues to find out precisely what her mom was hiding.
She set out toward her mother’s tree to find her.
But, Mrs. Sloth was no where to be found among the branches.
This was highly unusual.
Sylvie made notes, patiently waited, and tried to pick up a scent, but it seemed her mom had disappeared.
Sylvie decided it was time to track down the most likely accomplice . . .
DAD!
Surely Mr. Sloth would know the big family secret.
She found her father fairly easily.
Even a sloth’s ears could pick up those snores . . .
ZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzz . . .
ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzz . . .
ZZZZZZzzzzz . . .
When he finally woke up, Sylvie silently tracked him through the jungle.
They eventually came to a quiet nook of branches on the edge of the rainforest.
Far from predators, it was a very safe tree, and nestled inside was . . .
MOM!
Mr. Sloth greeted his wife with a slooooow kiss.
“Are you feeling sick today?” He asked.
“Just a little,” Mrs. Sloth replied.
Sylvie strained her ears to hear, and watched her father pat her mother’s belly.
Was her mother unwell?
Sylvie certainly hoped her mom wasn’t sick.
But, her detective instincts told her it was something else.
She simply needed to collect more clues.
For a whole week, Sylvie stalked her mother’s every move.
Unfortunately, she didn’t move much.
She noted her mom slept even more than a sloth’s usual 18 hours . . .
ZZZZZzzzzz…
Sylvie also jotted down just how much her mother was eating.
Nearly every leaf was chewed up!
But, other than a few small details, Sylvie couldn’t find any big clues.
She began to wonder if there was really any mystery at all, and decided her time was better spent tracking down another case.
But, not long after she had left, Sylvie heard a sloth call.
Just the right pitch so a sloth - no matter how far - could hear it.
And, this call sounded like . . .
her mother!
Luckily, Sylvie had read in “Detective’s Digest” that a true sleuth always has a few handy tools to rely on.
She climbed up a nearby trunk, and pulled out a pair of handy-dandy binoculars.
She could see her mother, right up close, and it looked like she was . . .
. . . falling?
. . . sleeping?
Sylvie couldn’t be sure, but her mother was definitely hanging upside down.
Just like a well poised opossum!
Or, thought Sylvie, just like a mother sloth . . .
Suddenly her brain began to stir, putting together all the pieces of the unsolved mystery.
She closed her eyes, and concentrated, and deep in thought her final clue appeared.
SNIFF! SNIFF!
It was an unmistakable smell, and the scent further proved Sylvie’s theory.
“Aha!” Sylvie exclaimed, and raced at sloth-speed back to her mother’s new tree.
The smell got stronger, and she could hear the sound of her parent’s “oohs” and “awwws”.
There was also another small sound, but this sound was too tiny for Sylvie’s ears.
Fortunately, Sylvie didn’t need any more clues - she had already solved the case!
“Mom! Dad! You had . . . .
. . . A BABY!”
Her parents furry faces slowly broke into very big smiles.
“Sorry we kept it a secret, Sylvie.” Her mother said. “But, now its time to meet your new little sister - Shirley!”
Sylvie’s mom stretched her long arms out, and handed her a tiny bundle of fur. Sylvie held her little sister for the very first time.
And YES, the smell was unmistakable . . .
Fresh baby poop!!!
“How did you figure out our secret?” her father asked.
Sylvie listed off all the clues. Feeling sick. Lots of naps. And Tina Toucan’s flapping beak.
“Finally, I saw you hanging upside down. I learned in school that’s how mama sloth’s give birth.”
Her father nodded - he always knew school came in very handy!
“Why didn’t you tell me about Shirley?” Sylvie asked.
“We were worried about you. You’ve always been our only daughter,” her mother said.
“How DO you feel about your baby sister?” Her father asked.
“I feel . . . AMAZING!” Sylvie exclaimed.
Her parents were thrilled.
“Afterall, I can finally open my Sleuthing Sloth Detective Agency!”
Her parents were not expecting this.
They knew Sylvie wanted to be a detective, but what did a baby have to do with a sloth becoming a sleuth???
“I guess you did solve your first big mystery,” Mrs. Sloth noted.
“Sure,” said Sylvie, “but, this is even better. Thanks to Shirley I finally have . . .
a partner in crime!”
“I think you mean a partner in solving crime!” Her father let out a low slow laugh, and they all wrapped their long sloth arms in a furry family hug.
Case solved . . .
And when Shirley was big enough, Sylvie made sure to teach her all the mysteries behind being a good detective.
In the end, the sisters proved that no matter the obstacles one faced, any sloth really could become a super sly sleuth!
THE END
Reading Recommendations: If you can get your sloth-claws on an old-school copy of The Bailey School Kids, then you are in for an awesome mystery adventure. The series starts with “Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots” , but any edition will do. Perfect for little readers ready to move from picture books to early reader chapter books, with a few ink illustrations in every story.
And don’t forget you can always order my picture book, Cosette Goes to the County.
Or, sign up to be notified for preorders of my new book Where Do Stories Come From? Exclusively available to order on Kickstarter . . .
As always,
Happy Reading . . .
