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9/4: Congrats to Kelly Clasen on winning Jason Lefebvre's giveaway! We'll be in touch soon with more details.
A special thanks to everyone who joined us for our Back-to-School event!
Hi, readers, writers, and slime makers of all sorts! Anyone else obsessed with slime? You're in for a real treat! We're delighted to feature Jason Lefebvre on our blog today and his new book, So Much Slime, the companion book to Too Much Glue! When Matty, a slime-obsessed kid, decides to make slime at school, things start out great. That is until... his slime is a little too sticky and starts growing and sticking to everything - eek! Matty realizes he left an important slime-making ingredient at home which is the culprit of the sticky slime. Now he must think fast before his slime takes over his classroom. Want to know more about Jason, Matty and how he gets his sticky situation under control, PLUS want a chance to win a copy of So Much Slime - a perfect read this school season? Read on...
Q: Hi, Jason! Thanks so much for joining us at #SeasonsOfKidLit for our Back-to-
School event. We’re so excited to have you and hear more about you and your book,
So Much Slime that releases September 3rd! Before we dive into your book, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you became a children’s author?
A: When I graduated from college in the late 90s with a BA in English, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life so that summer I got a job at a day camp for kids, and in the fall, I started working at a local daycare. Spending a lot of time around picture books, I started to notice the stories and art that made kids happy. Initially, I wrote stories where I did both the pictures and the illustrations and then started to submit them. My process for submission early on wasn’t great, and trying to write and illustrate started to seem like a taller task than I was up to at that time. I spent a few years writing and studying everything I could get my hands on about submitting and continued to be inspired by both the children I worked with, and the books we read every day. In 2005 I got a job in the children’s department at my hometown library, and in 2006 I wrote a draft for a story called Too Much Glue. You always hear “write what you know,” and while the action is exaggerated and cartoonish, most of the ingredients were snippets of my days in preschool and my evenings in the children’s library. Too Much Glue was my first story that started to get some positive attention when I submitted it. Then one night I was looking through the Children’s Literary Marketplace and I was fortunate enough to notice the publisher description for Flashlight Press, and lots of good fortune followed.
Q: In So Much Slime, a sequel to Too Much Glue, Matty decides to surprise his classmates and teachers and bring one of his favorite experiments to school - slime!
As Matty makes an extra big batch, he soon finds out he forgot one of the ingredients - the saline. Now his extra-big batch is sticking to EVERYTHING.
What a fun story for kids, especially those who are obsessed with slime! Can you share a little about your inspiration behind So Much Slime?
A: The kernel of the idea came from Shari at Flashlight Press, but as I was writing I tried to draw on some events that I had experienced in working with slime. The slime slowly taking over the classroom was inspired by the biggest slime disaster in my preschool classroom in Hadley, MA. To “preserve” the slime, we used to store it overnight in a zip-lock bag in the refrigerator near the back of the room. One day I was rushing to cleanup and forgot to seal the top of the bag before putting it in the fridge. Later, when one of the teachers opened the refrigerator door, the slime had escaped from the bag and was sludging and sliding all over the other shelves. Note to all teachers, unwatched slime has a mind of its own.
I love how Shari from Flashlight Press encouraged you to write the sequel and how you were inspired from something you experienced - slime definitely has a mind of its own!
Q. You incorporated a slight STEM element into So Much Slime, which makes it a fun learning experience for kids. Do you have any tips for writers who are looking to do the same?
A: The power of 3s is a staple in picture book writing and fortunately the slime recipe has just three ingredients. When working with and writing for the very young, it’s important to remember that most things at that age are teachable moments. While you probably don’t want to get too in the weeds about polymers and the chemical reactions that form them, pointing out scientific properties at a basic level has a lot of value. Texture differences, fine motor experiences, basic chemical reactions (like mixing vinegar and baking soda), and basic color changes are just a few ways that young students can experience science. If that experience is also fun, it will be even better!
Q: You are the Assistant Director of the Holyoke Public Library. How exciting! How has being involved in the library helped shape your writing? Have you had an opportunity to share your books with the readers at your library?
A: Being surrounded by stories is a necessity for people who want to write and be published. Every day at work I can touch and experience someone else’s creative process. That’s amazing. I can see what is circulating, I can ask the opinion of an actual reader, and I can sneak in and watch kids react to stories read by our children’s librarians. I share my story (soon-to-be stories) anywhere I'm asked, but if I’m honest, it’s a lot easier to do with a roomful of strangers. I’ve always been quiet by nature, so getting published made me venture out of my comfort zone. I’m so glad it did because school and library visits are the best part of being an author. Just before a visit, I’m terrified. When I get up in front of the group, I turn every aspect of my personality up to an 11. This allows me to not freak out and run out of the room once everyone is looking at me. That’s much harder to do when familiar faces are watching 😊.
Q: As authors, we face a lot of rejection. What are some ways you deal with it?
A: To me, there is far more to that in the publishing process than successes. I read somewhere a long time ago (and I honestly don’t remember where or I’d cite it) that good stories will always find a home. What that means to me is that you must work as hard as you can, take feedback that is both positive and negative, polish your stories until you feel they shine, and then trust the process. There are so few people who have immediate success in publishing, particularly children’s publishing. If you’re serious about it, it’s a journey, and it’s a long one, so take time to enjoy the ride.
BONUS QUESTION: What was your favorite thing about heading back to school?
A: When I was working in a school, it was meeting all the new kids I would be working with. I like the fall too.
Thanks again for joining us, Jason! We loved hearing more about you and your books!
Readers, want to know what we thought of Jason's new book, So Much Slime? You can find our reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.
Q: Would you like to leave a treat for our readers?
Yes! Flashlight Press is giving away a copy of my book, So Much Slime, to one lucky reader.
What a sweet treat! Thanks Flashlight Press, and thanks again for joining us, Jason!
Giveaway Instructions: Readers, to enter this giveaway please 1) like and share/RT this post on social media and 2) thank Jason and Flashlight Press for stopping by and for their neat treat! You'll get an extra entry for each place this is shared so let us know where it was shared, too. Back-to-School and/or slime-themed GIFs are appreciated and welcomed.
Giveaway winners will be drawn and announced on or about 8/30!
Note: Books will be shipped in the US only. Winners must have a US address.
About Jason Lefebvre:
I worked as a preschool paraprofessional and children’s librarian for many years, before assuming my role as the Assistant Director of the Holyoke (MA) Public Library. I am the author of Too Much Glue and So Much Slime, and have written many other stories that I hope to one day publish in which nobody gets stuck to anything. I live with my partner Jeannine and our pets in Holyoke, MA.
For more about Jason, check out the below links:
Website: www.jasonlefebvreauthor.com
To purchase Jason's books on Amazon or to leave a review for them, click here.
What a fun idea for a book! I’m sure many kids will love it. Thanks for sharing your story and experience, I specially liked what you said about rejections, I found it very encouraging. Thank you and congratulations on your book. All the best!
I can't wait to read your books! I love your encouragement about not focusing too much on some of the "instant successes" out there and to stick with the journey. Thank you! I was happy to share on X.
This sounds like such a fun book! Slime is still a favorite topic with my school's readers, so I'm guessing this book will be a hit. Shared on X/Twitter.
What a fun book! Thanks for the interview and treat, Jason and Flashlight Press. :)
I love Jason's way with words. Who could resist a slime tsunami? This book looks super-fun. (Shared on X.)