Written by Jason Lefebvre Illustrated by Zac Retz

Lefebvre Retz
Written by Jason Lefebvre
Illustrated by Zac Retz
$16.95 US/CAN
Lefebvre Retz
Jason Lefebvre (pronounced
Lafave) is a preschool
paraprofessional and a
children’s librarian at the
Holyoke Public Library.
Too Much Glue is based
on a myth perpetuated
by preschool teachers
worldwide that too much
glue never dries. This myth
was created for the good of
all humankind and to prevent children from gluing
themselves to their desks. Jason lives in Holyoke,
MA, and this is his first picture book.
Written by Jason Lefebvre
Illustrated by Zac Retz
Although his art teacher has warned
him that “too much glue never dries,”
Matty loves glue. One day during art
class, he searches for the fullest glue
bottles in the classroom and the fun
begins…
Zac Retz is an illustrator,
concept artist, character
designer, clay modeler, and
t-shirt designer. He received
his BFA in illustration from
the Rochester Institute of
Technology in NY, where he
was an editorial illustrator
for the student magazine,
the RIT Reporter, and a
winner of the 2012 Society
of Illustrators student show. Zac lives in Syracuse, NY,
and this is his first picture book.
With a squish and a plop Matty pours
a gluey lake, and then “Geronimo!”
he belly flops right into the middle.
Unfortunately he hasn’t thought
things through, and now he’s stuck
in the gloppy gloop. His classmates
try to get him out, but – Boing!
Creak! Kaboom! – the sticky mess
only grows.
$16.95 US/CAN
www.FlashlightPress.com
Distributed by IPG
Too Much
Glue
Ever the creative thinker, Matty
notices his hyperventilating teacher
and whispers an idea to his friends.
Will his plan work or will Matty be a
“blucky stucky glue boy” for the rest
of his life?
h
c
u
M
o
o
T ue
Gl
Written by Jason Lefebvre
Illustrated by Zac Retz
For my parents.
Thanks for everything you’ve done for me. –JL
Thank you family, for putting up with me
being an illustrator. –ZR
s
by Flashlight Pres
Copyright © 20132013 by Jason Lefebvre
Text copyright ©right © 2013 by Zac Retz
Illustrations copy
Printed in China. First Edition
– September 2013
Library of Congress Control
Number: 2013933388
ISBN 978-1-9362612-7-7
aracters,
fiction. Names, ch
This is a work of ts are either the product of
en
places and incid ination, or are used fictitiously. ,
ag
im
’s
or
th
s, living or dead
the au
e to actual person
Any resemblanc blishments, events, or locales is
business esta ely coincidental.
entir
All rights reserved, inc
reproduction, in whole orluding the right of
in part, in any form.
pan
Editor: Shari Dash Greens l Paintbrush
tua
Vir
e
Th
:
ign
Des
Graphic
Hank.
This book was typeset in dered entirely
ren
e
wer
s
ion
trat
The illus
brushes.
in Photoshop using custom
Distributed by IPG.
Flashlight Press, 527
Empire Blvd.,
www.FlashlightPress.cBrooklyn, NY 11225
om
ur art teacher says,
“Too much glue never dries.”
She reminds us, “Glue raindrops, not puddles!”
And she warns me, “Matty, too much glue!”
But my dad and I love glue!
At home, we make glue
glasses, glue mustaches,
and even glue bouncy balls.
Mom is happy to help.
So during art class, I find the fullest bottles of glue.
I tip them over and squeeze.
Ploo
ooop!
Glue squishes from the orange tips and slops all over.
Sequins and googly eyes float around in a gluey lake.
Then it’s time for the most important decoration...
“G
r
e
o
m
!
i
”
n
o
I belly flop onto the table and roll around,
letting the glue and everything else cover me.
“Time to go on the drying rack!”
I announce. But when I try to
pull myself off the table, I boing
right back down!
“Too much glue, Matty! Too
much glue!” my teacher
squawks.
mess!
“ Ca
n so
meb
o
dy
he
lp
m
e?
Ic
a
”
This is bad. There’s only half an
hour until the end of school, and
all I can do is lift my head, wave
my hands, and wiggle my feet.
The rest of me
is a blucky stucky
ll
.
Soon I’m roped from all sides like a rodeo pony. But when they try to pull me out…
S N A P !
The lassoes break, leaving colorful
octopus tentacles everywhere.
The glue is too
strong, and now
I’m a clingy
stringy, blucky
stucky mess.
While my teacher breathes
into a paper bag, Noah shouts,
“Let’s lasso him!”
Izzy, Noah, and Owen get
to work.
“Don’t worry, Matty. We know what to do!” shout Luke
and Grace from across the room.
“Is that a tow truck?”
I ask as they wheel the
contraption over and
stick a plastic hook into
my suit of glue.
My friends pull one way and the glue pulls the other –
Creak! Click! Creak! Click! – until…
A
K
b
O
o
m
!
o
The tow truck explodes
and plastic bricks
rain all
over.
Now I’m a
clicky bricky,
clingy stringy,
blucky stucky mess.
The school nurse bursts in and checks my
temperature. “98.6. Sorry. No fever. I can’t
send you home early. ”
She dabs and pats me like I’m spilled juice,
but the more she blots,
the more the glue spreads.
Soon I’m a
melted mummy,
clicky bricky,
clingy stringy,
blucky stucky mess.
Then the principal
comes in. He takes one
look at me, sticks a note
on my belly, and leaves.
Seeing my teacher
huffing and puffing like
a train gives me a great
idea. I whisper it to
Hailey and Owen.
The final bell rings
and everyone freezes –
except Owen and
Hailey.
Then, just as I’m thinking I’ll be a
note-on-my-tummy, melted
mummy, clicky bricky, clingy
stringy, blucky stucky glue boy
“It’s the biggest one we could make!”
they shout, furiously flapping
a huge paper fan at me.
for the rest of my life, my plan works!
Something my teacher said could never
happen, happens: the glue dries!
But I’m still stuck, and now I hear footsteps…
The door starts to open…
My father and some other carpool parents walk in. Dad comes closer and
inspects me. Then he peels me off the table – glue, yarn, bricks, and all.
He spins me around. No one makes a sound.
Then Dad smiles. “Matty, you’re a masterpiece!”
He holds me up for everyone to admire.
My friends all cheer.
The car ride home is interesting.
se,
u
o
h
e
h
in t
e
me
m
o
s
s
“
g
,
n
s
i
y
r
sa
db
d
a
a
D
s.”
D
g
n
”
n
,
e
i
o
h
h
d
t
w
d
less
ll, ki
hose
t
h
e
c
f
e
W
o
ar –
“
e
l
e
p
l
.
s
n
o
o
o
c
d
s
i
s
y
o
i
t
dm
this
hat
n
Mom
i
w
d
h
n
t
e
s
a
b
u
,
j
and
nce
ws
o
o
k
c
n
n
e
k
e
n
p
e
p
ha
f my
but h
y
o
l
a!
t
n
n
n
o
a
o
s
r
n
f
g
a
n
b
i
n
ripe
lue i
ul th
f
g
i
a
t
d
e
u
e
k
a
i
i
r
e
l
b
ed
en
h
p
t
o
s
e
p
i
r
m
tly g
eels
n
p
e
d
g
n
e
a
H
During dinner, we
sneak peeks at my
masterpiece.
And
after
dinner…
Now it’s Dad’s turn to glue, and he seals up the sides
of the me-shaped work of art.
“I bet it would take
all the glue in the art
room to make a
YOU-shaped work
of art, Dad!” I say.
Dad laughs.
Then he glues
a big magnet
to the back of
my project and
hangs it on
the fridge.
…we take the principal’s
note very seriously.
From the
Desk of
Elmer G.
Stuckey
Please enc
our
Matty to u age
se
tape instea
d
of glue.
Lefebvre Retz
Jason Lefebvre (pronounced
Lafave) is a preschool
paraprofessional and a
children’s librarian at the
Holyoke Public Library.
Too Much Glue is based
on a myth perpetuated
by preschool teachers
worldwide that too much
glue never dries. This myth
was created for the good of
all humankind and to prevent children from gluing
themselves to their desks. Jason lives in Holyoke,
MA, and this is his first picture book.
Written by Jason Lefebvre
Illustrated by Zac Retz
Although his art teacher has warned
him that “too much glue never dries,”
Matty loves glue. One day during art
class, he searches for the fullest glue
bottles in the classroom and the fun
begins…
Zac Retz is an illustrator,
concept artist, character
designer, clay modeler, and
t-shirt designer. He received
his BFA in illustration from
the Rochester Institute of
Technology in NY, where he
was an editorial illustrator
for the student magazine,
the RIT Reporter, and a
winner of the 2012 Society
of Illustrators student show. Zac lives in Syracuse, NY,
and this is his first picture book.
With a squish and a plop Matty pours
a gluey lake, and then “Geronimo!”
he belly flops right into the middle.
Unfortunately he hasn’t thought
things through, and now he’s stuck
in the gloppy gloop. His classmates
try to get him out, but – Boing!
Creak! Kaboom! – the sticky mess
only grows.
$16.95 US/CAN
www.FlashlightPress.com
Distributed by IPG
Too Much
Glue
Ever the creative thinker, Matty
notices his hyperventilating teacher
and whispers an idea to his friends.
Will his plan work or will Matty be a
“blucky stucky glue boy” for the rest
of his life?
Lefebvre Retz
Written by Jason Lefebvre
Illustrated by Zac Retz
$16.95 US/CAN