Since it’s September and school is in session, I thought it would be fun to review this fun picture book with a science feel.

Summary

Mortimer’s Magical Goo is written by Megan K. Palmer and illustrated by Nabila Amanda.

Mortimer doesn’t want to clean his room. When he discovers magical goo that will do it for him, it feels like the perfect solution! When Mortimer realizes the goo costs him a lot in return, he is left wondering if he should use the goo or face the boring hard chores he has to do every day.

My Review

I found Mortimer’s Magical Goo to be predictable, but kid friendly and fun. Kids love mixing up “potions” with whatever they can find outside. I used to do it myself. 

In the story, Mortimer doesn’t want to clean his room, paint a picture at school, or play soccer unless he can be better than anyone else. So, he mixes up “Goo” with whatever he can find outside to help him. He sees green pumpkins he’s never seen before, so he juices one into his potion.

Of course, the Goo works. His room cleans itself. The painting in art class paints itself. And he’s so good at soccer, he scores all the goals. The others kids didn’t have fun watching him, so they left.

And the problem is every time he “uses” the Goo, he has less and less Goo until it’s gone.

He also misses the fun with his friends in school and on the soccer field. So, he decides he’s better off without the Goo.

The editor in me would have liked to see something more unique. I would have loved to see recipes for the Goo Mortimer made as well as a recipe for edible Goo kids can make (think pudding “dirt”) in the back of the book. Instructions to make a rock collection (Mortimer’s favorite thing). Suggestions for substitutions if kids can’t find the things Mortimer used in his Goo (like green pumpkins). Things like that.

The kid in me loved it, though, and I think kids will also really enjoy it.

The illustrations are super cute with lots of action.

In Conclusion

Mortimer’s Magical Goo is a story families will enjoy reading together. 

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GXZX9WGQ
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 22, 2026
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8249584870
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4 ounces
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 3 – 8 years
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 0.08 x 8.5 inches
• Part of series ‏ : ‎ Learning is Magical

For Further Reading…

Check out a review of Megan’s books A Squirrely Christmas and The Missing Piece as well as her guest post here.

GIVEAWAY!

Author Megan K. Palmer is giving away a copy of Mortimer’s Magical Goo. To enter, leave a comment on this post by October 8th.

Pam Halter is a former home-schooling mom, has been a children’s book author since 1995, a freelance children’s book editor since 2006, and was the children’s book editor for Fruitbearer Publishing until January 2023. She’s the author of Fairyeater, a YA fantasy, and the Willoughby and Friends picture book series (available on her website.) Pam has also published short stories in Ye Olde Dragon Books , the Whitstead Anthologies and Renewed Christmas Blessings. Her first short story won Readers Choice in Realmscapes.

Pam lives in Southern New Jersey with her husband, Daryl, special needs adult daughter, Anna, and four cats. When she’s not writing, Pam enjoys spending time with her grands, reading, quilting, gardening, cooking, playing the piano, Bible study, and walking long country roads where she discovers fairy homes, emerging dragons, and trees eating wood gnomes.