School Library Journal Starred Review

K-Gr 2-Too timid to approach Herbie face-to-face, shy slug Marylou uses her slime trail to write love poems to him and leave them around the garden. Herbie responds to each of her poems with a rhyme of his own, but a series of unforeseeable circumstances prevents Marylou from finding them. The hoe he has written on is put in the barn, rain washes away his verse on the fence, and he composes on a melon while Marylou is spending the day in the squash patch. Desperate to meet the sweet poet, Herbie composes a final message on a tall tomato plant. At last, Marylou sees it; the two slugs meet and fall in love. The characters are well developed through the increasingly expressive poems they write for one another. Readers will enjoy the simultaneous drama and humor in this story, squealing as Marylou repeatedly just misses Herbie's missives, and laughing over Sammy's not-so-helpful tip to assist Herbie in identifying his secret admirer: "I think she's the brownish one." Bright, clear cartoon artwork provides a slug's-eye view of the garden and its inhabitants, and the final picture gives readers a peek into Herbie and Marylou's future together. A clever and endearing love story that proves the power of perseverance.-Amanda Moss, Maywood Elementary School, Monona, WI Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

Horn Book

Shy slug Marylou is gaga for Herbie, who doesn't know who she is. She writes him poems (of the "Roses are red / violets are blue" variety) but never receives his replies. Pearson takes it on too much faith that readers will empathize with Marylou's mooning over the charisma–free Herbie. The blah art features slugs distinguished only by their accessories.

Kirkus Reviews

Slugs in love? Call it a "slime-ance!" Marylou is too shy to tell Herbie how she loves everything about him so she writes him a love poem in slime on the watering can. "Strawberries are red. Blueberries are blue. Herbie is handsome. Love, Marylou." Unsure of which slug is Marylou, Herbie writes back on the garden hoe to ask her, but the gardener puts the hoe away so she never sees his message. Missed messages left and right, but true love slugs onward. She writes a poem on the wheelbarrow; he puts a message on the fence. She writes a poem on the scarecrow; he puts a message on the watermelons. She writes a poem on a zucchini; he puts his message on the tomatoes. And finally, the match is made in the tomato patch. The humorous illustrations use markers, colored pencils and Photoshop to comically characterize the slugs with distinguishing accessories (pink antennae ribbons and blue baseball cap) and personalities. Kids' reactions? Eeew—slugs, love, slime rhymes? Snail-mail fun that gives a new connotation to sliming someone. (Picture book. 4-8)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

With its irresistible illustrations and comical plot, this story of two slime-crossed lovers is bound to delight sweethearts young and old. "Marylou loved everything about Herbie—how his slime trail glistened in the dark, how he could stretch himself thin to squeeze inside the cellar window...." Herbie keeps finding Marylou's poems, etched in slug slime and full of devotion, but Marylou keeps missing the longing letters he writes in return. While she watches his every move, he can't find anyone who knows where she is so he can meet her. Herbie finally decides to leave a note where Marylou just can't miss it ("<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">All slugs like tomatoes!" he thinks). When Marylou realizes at last that her affections are returned, Pearson doesn't stint on the happiness that ensues—"What joy! What gladness!" Both the book's title and the heart that encloses the happy pair on the jacket seem to be defined in shiny red slug slime. O'Malley makes the most of the diverse poems—they appear on a watermelon, a garden hoe, a scarecrow's hat—and he endows the community of slugs with a variety of expressions both whimsical and witty. Marylou sports two pink bows on her stalk eyes and Herbie's Mr. Dreamy eyes sparkle with fun. Full of humor and charm, this story of love requited is as satisfying as a box of Valentine chocolates. Ages 4-8. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Nov.)