The Case of the Sleepy Sloth

The High-Rise Private Eyes #5

by Cynthia Rylant, G. Brian Karas (Illustrator)

Ramón's favorite lawn chair has disappeared! He saw it on Monday. Where could it have gone?

This sounds like a case for the High-Rise Private Eyes -- Bunny Brown and Jack Jones, ace detectives and very best friends!

Genres: Childrens, Mystery, Picture Books, Animals, Chapter Books, Fiction, Humor

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Cynthia Rylant is an American author, poet, and librarian whose deeply felt books for children and young adults have made her one of the most beloved voices in contemporary literature. Writing across picture books, novels, short stories, nonfiction, and poetry, she has published more than one hundred works, many of them rooted in memory, family, solitude, and the emotional landscapes of ordinary life. Her fiction often draws from her upbringing in West Virginia and reflects the textures of Appalachian life with unusual tenderness and clarity.
Raised in modest circumstances, Rylant spent much of her childhood with her grandparents in a rural setting that later became central to her imagination as a writer. Those early years, marked by hardship as well as warmth, shaped the emotional honesty and quiet resilience that define her work. She later studied English and library science, and after working as a waitress, librarian, and teacher, she began publishing books inspired by the world she had known so intimately.
Among her most acclaimed works are Missing May, which received the Newbery Medal, and A Fine White Dust, a Newbery Honor Book. She also earned Caldecott Honors for When I Was Young in the Mountains and The Relatives Came. For younger readers, she became especially well known through the enduring Henry and Mudge series, as well as other popular books and series that combine gentleness, humor, and emotional depth.
Rylant's writing is distinguished by its compassion for lonely, searching, or overlooked characters, and by its reverence for animals, nature, and small human connections. Whether writing about grief, wonder, childhood, or belonging, she brings a lyrical simplicity that resonates across generations. Her books continue to offer comfort, recognition, and beauty to readers of all ages. She remains a singular literary presence in children's literature and beyond today.

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: Bunny and Jack liked to picnic with pizza. Jack brought the pizza, Bunny brought the pop, and they went to the docks downtown. "Now don't give the seagulls any pizza," said Bunny. "They'll just linger." "But they always look so hungry," said Jack. "That's because they are always hungry," said Bunny.

Premise/plot: While at the docks, these two private eyes stumble onto a new case. Ramon (a dog) has lost his one and only lawn chair from his houseboat. Can Bunny and Jack help him find it?

My thoughts: I like this one. I do. I enjoy the banter between Jack and Bunny.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cynthia Rylant has a gift for enjoyable easy reader series and this is the favorite in my household so far. A perfect pair of city dwelling private eyes. Right length, right level, right all around!

[ANDREA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read with my kids..great story

[Lori Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Private eyes Bunny and Jack are on the case.

[Mila Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

They didn't return the chair

[WriteTheVision · Rating 3 out of 5]

My students enjoyed it well enough, and they're interested in reading others in the series, which is the main thing that matters in books that I choose to read aloud: does it spark an interest in reading more. This book did that, so I am pleased.

[Monica Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story mystery book follows two detectives, Bunny Brown and Jack Jones on a hunt for Ramon's missing lawn chair. This story takes a while to build, and is filled with plenty of side humor in between. The relationship between the two detectives is humorous, makes you smile as you read their dialogue. The missing lawn chair ends of being a simple mistake, a sloth found it after a heavy wind storm and fell asleep on it, for a week! This book is well illustrated, the print is laid out well, easy to read. This would be perfect for students grades 2-4, must be able to follow along and understand the slow building story.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another silly, but fun mystery in the High-Rise Private Eyes series. Jack and Bunny are hilarious in how they interact and a whole chapter is dedicated to their conversation leading up to the case. Our girls enjoy these books, as they have all of Cynthia Rylants tales, and we will look for more at our local library.

[Kimber Tate]

Bunny Brown and Jack Jones are the "High Rise Private Eyes" who search for a missing lawn chair which blew away and was found in the possession of a sloth.

Ways to Use With Children: Great book to use in association with a study of animals. The characters are a racoon and a rabbit who meet a sloth, a creature that most youngsters might not be familiar with.

Beginning reader Picture Book

[Jenna Renner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was an alright read for young children who are just starting out reading chapter books. The book was a lot of back and forth conversation between the characters which got a little boring half way though. But I most definitely think that a young student would enjoy reading this book.

[Shelby Royalty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just a silly story, but I think that younger readers would enjoy it. It was a mix of "mystery"/comedy. The story was a transitional chapter book, but the writing style and words used by the author were not difficult at all. I would use this book in a classroom library.

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another one in the series where they go through the reasoning process.

[LJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the High-rise books. They are funny and clever and easy for beginning readers.

[Emileadawn Smith]

Awesome

[Seth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack and bunny have to solve the case.

[J.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter loves this series!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun series to read with my daughter. We enjoyed the characters and the general goofiness of the plots. The illustrations were wonderful.

[Rose]

E Ryl