Review - Too Much Glue

Too Much Glue
by Jason Lefebvre
illustrated by Zac Retz
Date: 2013
Publisher: Flashlight Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Although Matty’s art teacher has warned him that too much glue never dries, Matty loves glue. After all, he and his dad make oodles of glue projects at home. One day during art class, Matty finds the fullest bottles of glue, and the fun begins. With a squeeze and a plop, Matty pours a lake of glue before belly-flopping right in the middle and finds himself stuck to the desk. When Matty’s dad arrives at the school, instead of being mad, he celebrates his son’s creativity and calls him a work of art. With vibrant language and artwork and a wild, silly plot, Too Much Glue is sure to appeal to all children who love to get messy.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Let's get one thing straight. Matty is a brat and a narcissist. The book implies he's just really creative, but there's a difference between making accessories with glue-gun glue and intentionally belly-flopping onto a pile of wet glue at school, necessitating everyone else to stop what they're doing and come to your rescue.

The illustrations are great. The story is sort of funny. But I'm not loving the message. Matty faces no consequences for his actions. In fact, he's rewarded for them. (The principal comes the closest to offering some discipline, telling his parents that they should encourage him to use tape instead. But, as we see on the last page, this is only going to lead to more attention-seeking behaviour.)

I don't think I'd recommend this to messy kids. It encourages them to disregard consequences and make a nuisance of themselves. I might recommend it to tidy kids, though, who can appreciate how Matty's behaviour is not appropriate in a school setting.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.83 out of 5