The Secret Science Project That Almost Ate the School

Caldecott medalist Gammell ("Song and Dance Man") provides a humorous and hyperbolic visual interpretation of Sierra's ("Wild About Books") silly, spirited story. The bespectacled, wild-haired young narrator is grouchy because she has yet to find a third-grade science fair project, while her classmates are sitting pretty: "The ants on Mary's ant farm were growing corn and peas, / And Kevin Fink was on the brink of curing a disease." But eureka! Over the Internet, she purchases a project "guaranteed to win first prize," Professor Swami's Super Slime, billed as "a mutant yeast with just a piece of dragon DNA." When the package arrives, she disregards its warning to keep the slime inside the box until the fair. After she opens the lid and gives the slime "a teeny-tiny poke" (like the star of "Plantzilla"), the goo begins to grow (and growl and emit smoke). Gammell's signature spattery artwork is ideally suited to chronicle the slime's expanding girth as it devours the girl's cat, sister, father, teacher and classmates. Finally, she remembers the rest of the instructions: feed the slime sugar "till it swells 1,000 times in mass./ Stand back as it erupts/ Into a harmless cloud of gas." The resulting explosion catapults the slime's ingested victims to tree branches and rooftops. Gammell's illustrations amplify the energy and fun of Sierra's bouncy verse. Ages 6-9. "(Oct.)" Copyright 2006 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

Gr 1-3A nameless girl needs an idea for her science project. Her solution is to go on the Internet, where she comes across Professor Swamis Super Slimea mutant yeast with just a piece of dragon DNA. Of course, she orders it and doesnt follow the directions on the box: do not open until the science fair, then feed the slime sugar until it expands to 1000 times its size and watch it explode into a harmless cloud of gas. The child finds herself with a large, green, slimy glob that begins to grow and swallow those who are rude to it: her cat, which hisses; her dad, who complains of a smell; her third-grade teacherEeew! What is that big, digusting creature?and so on. Finally the child remembers the sugar and, once kids have pelted the goo with sweets and sprayed it with soda, it explodes. My project didnt win first prize, and that was fair...I guess..../Miss Fidget kept me after school to clean up all the mess. The watercolor, colored pencil, and pastel illustrations are typical Gammellthe girl bears a striking resemblance to the boy in Liz Rosenbergs "Monster Mama" (Philomel, 1993; o.p.), round glasses and all; shes just perfect for this slightly wild story. This book could be used as a jumping-off point for science projectsa little levity always helps during the science-experiment season."Susan Lissim, Dwight School, New York City" Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.