4 out of 4 stars
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How Slime Came to Be: Introducing Slimey by Mark Luers is a rhyming children's picture book that teaches young readers about friendship, kindness, sharing, and forgiveness. The 39-page book features colorful cartoonish illustrations by Patrick Carlson.
Luers is an elementary school teacher with twenty-seven years of experience. His professionally-edited debut book is the first in the Slimey series; the second and third books are already in the works. His rhyming story about Troy and his gooey new friend, Slimey, will amuse children ranging from preschool age to beginning readers. Slimey is first introduced in a nonsensical fashion, but Luers cleverly uses the silly character to teach themes related to friendship and forgiveness. As Slimey selects what hue he will be, young readers may learn some new colors like lavender and lime.
I particularly enjoyed a few bonus features that will appeal to young readers. At the end of the book, there is a recipe for slime, allowing kids to create their own "Slimey." The author's page is written as though he is speaking to children. Luers introduces himself and encourages kids to think about friendship and how they treat others. He also shares a link to his website that provides fun extras like his first attempts at drawing Slimey and his decision to hire a professional illustrator. Young readers are invited to share their ideas for his upcoming sequels with the opportunity to win a free book. I also appreciated Luers' humor; he dedicated the book to his "three favorite slime balls." I immediately imagined kids giggling as they read it.
There isn't anything I dislike about the book. I must admit from an adult perspective, I find one of the illustrations off-putting, but in all honesty, kids will probably love the close up of Joe's mouth and the hot dog he is eating.
For its teaching potential and entertaining appeal to young readers, I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to young readers through the age of eight and to parents, grandparents, and teachers.
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How Slime Came to Be
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