Published by Wendy Lamb Books

Summary:  Alex and his dad are moving back to his grandparents’ house to modernize their Filipino market and try to expand the business.  Alex’s passion is making slime, and he is thrilled to find other kids at his new middle school who share this hobby, including a girl who becomes his main rival in a slime war.  Slime is strictly forbidden at school, so all their endeavors have to be done sneakily to avoid getting caught with the contraband substance.  Meanwhile, Alex’s dad, a former athletic star, is pressuring Alex to play soccer, a sport that he both dislikes and fears.  Something else Alex fears is speaking up for himself, but as the stakes get higher at school and at home, he learns the importance of advocating for himself and for what he believes is right.  288 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  The short chapters, eye-catching cover, and highly relatable situations make this an appealing choice for all kinds of readers.  It would make an excellent book club selection.

Cons:  Although there were several lists of slime ingredients, no amounts were given.  A few recipes at the end would have been nice.

December 13, 2021 at 04:57PM Janet Dawson