Too Fast For Them! Luna and Carmen will not Slow Down!

Luna the Sloth lives in the lush forests of La Fortuna, Costa Rica, where the towering Arenal Volcano stands guard.

She is only ten years old and loves to play with her best friend Carmen the bunny!

Carmen is a mischievous little bunny who loves to get into trouble. She is a bit older than Luna at eleven years old.

The Costa Rican Forest is the perfect place for a little bunny and a sloth to grow up happy and healthy!

There are countless spots for playing, hiding, or relaxing while listening to the gossip of birds or just laying on the grass watching the vast night sky full of sparkling stars.

Luna and Carmen enjoy playing pranks and teasing the other small creatures. They climb up and down tree branches, playfully tossing seeds at passing animals while laughing and hiding not to get caught!

Luna the Sloth taught Carmen the art of hiding and camouflaging. She also showed her how to stay still and approach things Slowwwwly……… by taking just one step at a time.

Carmen the Bunny was an unlikely mentor for Luna; she taught her some impressive skills, like how to slide down trees in one leap, which is not typical for a sloth. She also showed her how to bounce from rock to rock like a bunny, but being a sloth, her bouncing style was in suuuuper sssslooowww motion.

Also, Carmen taught Luna how to stay alert and react quickly, like a bunny. She also taught her how to use her hearing to listen to approaching animals. However, their most enjoyable lesson was eating carrots together, a new treat for a sloth's usually leafy diet.

But everyone did not welcome this friendship. They thought a bunny and a sloth were not supposed to be friends! The other animals said a sloth was too slow to play with a bunny! And a bunny was too quick for a sloth.

Despite being teased by the other little bunnies for her slow pace in the park, Luna the Sloth never let it get to her. She knew she had unique abilities that others didn't; her friend Carmen always reminded her of this.

But Luna dreamt of being fast like the other animals, and Carmen promised Luna that she would teach her how to be fast like a bunny! And Luna believed her!

They practiced being fast every afternoon after school and spent the summer climbing trees together, leaping, hopping, and swinging from vines.

Practice was a serious business for the two little unlikely friends, but they still managed to have fun! They would laugh and enjoy each other’s company while working hard to be fast!

The two friends entered the annual Green Mile Race to show the entire forest what Luna the Sloth had accomplished while working hard to build up speed. It surprised all the animals since a sloth had never taken part in the annual race.

On the day of the race, the forest was alive with the sound of excitement as the match was about to begin. The bunnies were hopping around, and the foxes were stretching their legs while the deer and armadillos were busy warming up. The howler monkeys were howling, and the pigs were snorting.

Amidst all the hustle and bustle, Luna, the little Sloth, was taking her time to get ready. She carefully checked her claws, stretched her arms, and took a deep breath before slowly making her way to the starting line.

Most forest animals gathered around to support the little sloth, enthusiastically cheering. However, a few others booed and made unpleasant noises, which caused the little sloth to feel sad. But she was determined to show the achievement she and Carmen the Bunny had made.

As the race started, all the animals dashed ahead, but Luna, being a sloth, moved much slower, which was expected for a creature known for her sluggish pace. She continued, determined to finish the race no matter what.

The race was one mile long, a very long distance for a sloth attempting to run fast. Luna found it challenging, but her friend Carmen stayed with her the entire time, cheering her on.

Luna and her best friend, Carmen, crossed together at the finish line while holding hands. Unfortunately, they came in last place.

At the end of the race, the animals asked them what they had accomplished if Luna the sloth was still slow, and they still finished in last place.

Luna and Carmen learned during the many hours of practice that victory was not the goal but the journey of having fun, being courageous, and showing up. While Luna may not have been as fast as a bunny, her remarkable qualities of courage and determination were not dependent on her speed.

Animals applauded the bravery of these two little animals, who showed how sloths and bunnies can totally be besties, even if they came from different backgrounds!

Despite their differences, they formed a beautiful friendship and showed the importance of hard work and determination even when not achieving victory.

Make friends who look and sound different from you! Life is more interesting that way! And you never know, you may even win your race!

It's all about accepting and celebrating what makes each of us unique!