So Much Slime

by Jason Lefebvre, Zac Retz (illustrator)

Matty and his family make slime all the time. They know that it's simple, stretchy, scientific, and super-squishy. But Matty's slime demonstration at school turns into a disaster when he forgets the most important ingredient – saline! Instead of squishy slime, he's up to his elbows in an icky sticky swamp, and it's spreading fast. Can his classmates' creative ideas save him, or will someone find some saline at school soon?

So Much Slime is an explosion of color with vibrant language, wild facial expressions, hands-on-activities, and a hilarious, outrageous plot. Perfect for art time in an elementary class or at home, So Much Slime celebrates creativity in every sense of the word. Companion to the award-winning Too Much Glue.

Genres: Picture Books, Science, School, Childrens, Stem

32 pages, Hardcover

Published September 3, 2024

Reviews

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

2/14/2025 Delightful. Full review tk next week at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.

2/18/2025 Matty is a grade-schooler who loves making homemade slime with his parents. When he gets permission to demonstrate how to make slime in art class at school, he's super excited! He packs enough ingredients so that all his classmates can get some slime to take home with them, and repeats to himself the simple recipe his parents taught him: glue, baking soda, saline -- and pizzazz!

His art teacher is at first a little perturbed by the sheer amount of slime Matty is planning on making. But Matty assures her that he knows what he's doing... until he doesn't. Examining the waves of sticky goop he's unleashed in class, he realizes that he's forgotten the saline! His classmates try to come up with creative ideas to sop up the mess that's threatening to drown poor Matty, but their attempts to help only make the waves of slime get bigger. Will anybody be able to figure out how to fix things before it becomes an uncontrollable disaster?

This was an absolutely adorable picture book about making that toy? material? that so many kids (and their parents!) adore. Personally, I like slime for how it helps clean irregularly shaped items, but that's neither here nor there. The enthusiasm of Matty and his parents is infectious, and even tho the demonstration goes a lot more haywire than planned, all's well that ends well. Matty and his art teacher might be a little traumatized by the experience, but it's clear that all the other kids had a blast as they tried to help solve the problem. Plus, the coda reinforces the fact that while not all experiments (or demonstrations) are successful, making notes of both what worked and what went wrong are valuable, scientific learning experiences.

Zac Retz' digital art throughout is truly phenomenal, as he captures expressions at their utmost. Matty's joy turns to a horror that's almost perfectly mirrored by his poor art teacher, while his classmates' faces run the gamut from sympathetic sobriety to sheer chaos goblin glee. Mr Retz' background in animation shows in both his artistry and the adorableness of the characters and situations depicted, making his illustrations the perfect accompaniment for Jason Lefebvre's charming story.

The only thing I wish this book included was an actual recipe for slime. My digital copy didn't have one, so I'm not sure what the actual proportions are for the three main ingredients. Perhaps that's for the best, else I'd be tempted to make some at home, without even needing to be spurred on by my kids (for a change.)

So Much Slime by Jason Lefebvre & Zac Retz was published September 3 2024 by Flashlight Press and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!

[SeasonsOfKidLit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blurb: So Much Slime, by Jason Lefebvre, Zac Retz, and Flashlight Press, follows Matty – a slime-obsessed boy who decides to make slime as a science experiment for his classmates. During his experiment, Matty discovers he's left one of the ingredients for slime at home and his batch of slime starts sticking to everything. Matty and his classmates must think of a solution fast or the slime will take over!

#SeasonsOfKidLit says: Lefebvre’s lively text paired with Retz’s colorful illustrations are a delight. Readers will laugh as Matty’s experiment starts to take over his classroom with its size and stickiness. They will especially enjoy the trial-and-error approaches to fixing their sticky situation. With STEM-filled facts woven into this comical story, So Much Slime is an excellent read for any season.

[Apple · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had this read to me by June Squibb on YouTube. She's a delight.
Didn't like this book that much, I don't know if kids love it when everything goes wrong, I sure didn't when I was a kid. This book would have given me anxiety even then! As an adult you can only picture the clean-up effort the whole time. Absolutely do NOT believe the book saying that it's easy and the class ends up spotless 😂
I wonder how many kids read this and then tried to destroy their house.. therefore, would not read to my kiddos.
I also don't have any attraction to slime, probably because I grew up in the Jurassic and we didn't have it then.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow-up to SO MUCH GLUE, Matty decides to share his love of slime-making with his class but forgets a key ingredient, resulting in a growing disaster the class tries to fix by experimenting with various materials. Embedded in the mess are all sorts of opportunities to discuss following directions, importance of the correct ingredients, trial and error as well as questioning about possible solutions, predictions and connections to “oops” times in readers/listeners that had to be cleaned up.

Thanks for sponsoring a giveaway through #seasonsofkidslit, Flashlight Press and Jason Lefebvre.

[Christie Kaaland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mattie loves playing with slime so when he has the opportunity to demonstrate how to make slime during art class at school, he decides to make a MASS amount of it: six times the recipe. But unfortunately he forgets the significant third ingredient: saline. Classmates try to help by adding different ingredients but the slimy mess just grows and gets bigger and worse until Owen retrieves saline from the science room and the slimy mess morphs into a giant quantity of slime. All is saved but not before his parents and the principal enter the scene.

[Julie Hauswirth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both of my kids enjoyed SO MUCH SLIME (I did, too!). My youngest loved all the fun words like "cowabunga", "swoooooosh", and "kaboom", as well as the "icky sticky swamp" refrain. This book is an excellent companion to any slime-making activity and perfect for teaching cause and effect, multi-step processes, following a recipe, or the importance of working as a team. It's a great addition to any home library or elementary or preschool classroom!

[Gayle Krause · Rating 5 out of 5]

One slime class demonstration coming up…and over… and all around. When Matty forgets a key ingredient for his slime project the entire class tries to help fix it. But it grows and bubbles and has everything mixed into it but the teacher. Children can make their own slime after reading this funny story and hopefully it won’t be a sticky mess like Matty’s. A perfect STEM book for the classroom or the home kitchen.

[Heather Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! So funny and cute! After learning how to make slime at home with his mom and dad, Matty takes the ingredients to school to show his classmates gow to make slime in art class! But, he forgot one of the important 3 ingredients, saline! It was funny to see how Matty and his classmates react!

[Hailey Vittrup · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received this book as a DRC. I loved this book! It had incredible illustrations, a fun, action-packed story, and even a slime recipe at the end! It was original, creative, and brilliant. I would recommend this book to elementary students.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter absolutely loved this book! It’s so hard to get her to read, but given that it was a book about slime she was so excited to do so. The illustrations had us laughing along with the story. Great illustrations and color used. I definitely think any child would be lucky to read this.

[Danielle Hammelef · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book in which the actions continue to build into more and more absurdities. I enjoyed the classroom children working together with ideas to solve the problem. I think readers will delight in the illustrations that add to the hilarity.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

TIL the recipe for slime. I liked that experimentation and failing were welcomed, but I feel like the moral lesson of readiness could have been more emphasized. The nurse's reaction was a surprise.

I listened to the narration by June Squibb.

[Cyndy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slime is just three ingrediants, once made you can add some pizazz. What happens when you forget one of the ingrediantes for your art project demonstration? Hilarity ensues. Read by June Squibb on Storyline Online. Sponsored by Elmer's.

[Jennifer Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vibrant picture book that celebrates creativity, science, teamwork, and humor, featuring slime as a central theme. It is authored by a librarian and illustrated by a film art director, resulting in engaging visuals. Setting and “fix your mistake” theme.

[Kaylee Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book to read to students about the ideas of teamwork, creativity, and problem-solution. This would be a great book to read aloud during whole group, but also a great book for students to read independently.

[Elle · Rating 2 out of 5]

June Squibb does a great reading of this book for Storyline Online. The book would be easily paired with a slime making activity in a classroom or makerspace.

[Colette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one messy classroom! Especially for kindergartners!

[Madison Mckinney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book for a science class!

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Much Slime (Hardcover)
by Jason Lefebvre
The first grade class really loved this story, about science, formulas, and getting things just right with Pazaze.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a riot! Kids will love this book about a kid who shows his class how to make slime. But his lack of following directions leads to unexpected results. Great fun.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kids will delight in the big slime mess and will want to try the recipe included.

[Mrs.MakesReadingFun · Rating 4 out of 5]

What kid doesn’t love slime!? Such a silly, out-there book all about so so SO much slime exploding in an art classroom!!
When Matty brings his slime recipe to share with his classmates, he misses one key ingredient: saline!! So of course, the slime does not work out!! His classmates try and help him figure out how to fix it….. and things go from bad, to worse!
Great, bright, emotive illustrations really bring this story to life.
Recipe for slime included- so this could make for a really fun classroom or homeschool read-aloud & activity.

[Rick Christiansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't forget the saline!

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Children's book that I read to my twin boys. My boys really enjoyed this book, and I found it cute and fun to read. The pictures are so cute and bright.