Shadowing Practice: 'Too Much Glue' read by Nicole Byer - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

A2
[Storyline Online intro] Welcome to Storyline Online Brought to you by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation I’m Nicole Byer and today I’m going to read Too Much Glue Written by Jason Lefebvre and illustrated by Zac Retz Our 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!
⏸ Paused
63 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
[Storyline Online intro] Welcome to Storyline Online Brought to you by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation I’m Nicole Byer and today I’m going to read Too Much Glue Written by Jason Lefebvre and illustrated by Zac Retz Our 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!
2
At home, we make glue glasses, glue mustaches, and even glue bouncy balls.
3
Mom is happy to help.
4
So during art class, I find  the fullest bottles of glue.
5
I tip them over and squeeze.
6
Plooooop! Glue squishes from the orange tips and slops all over.
7
Sequins and googly eyes float  around in a gluey lake.
8
Then it’s time for the most  important decoration… “Geronimo!” I belly flop onto the table and roll around, letting the glue and everything else cover me.
9
“Time to go on the drying rack!” I announce.
10
But when I try to pull myself off the table, I boing right back down!
11
“Too much glue, Matty!
12
Too much glue!” my teacher squawks.
13
This is bad.
14
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.
15
The rest of me is a blucky stucky mess!
16
“Can somebody help me?” I call.
17
While my teacher breathes into a paper bag, Noah shouts, “Let’s lasso him!” Izzy, Noah, and Owen get to work.
18
Soon I’m roped from all sides like a rodeo pony.
19
But when they try to pull me out… S N A P !
20
The lassoes break, leaving colorful octopus tentacles everywhere.
21
The glue is too strong, and now I’m a clingy stringy, blucky stucky mess.
22
“Don’t worry, Matty. We know what to do!” shout Luke and Grace from across the room.
23
“Is that a tow truck?” I ask as they wheel the contraption over and stick a plastic hook into my suit of glue.
24
My friends pull one way and the glue pulls the other – Creak!
25
Click! Creak!
26
Click! – until… KABOOOM!
27
The tow truck explodes and plastic bricks rain all over.
28
Now I’m a clicky bricky, clingy stringy, blucky stucky mess.
29
The school nurse bursts in and checks my temperature.
30
“98.6. Sorry. No fever.
31
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.
32
Soon I’m a melted mummy, clicky bricky, clingy stringy, blucky stucky mess.
33
Then the principal comes in.
34
He takes one look at me, sticks a note on my belly, and leaves.
35
Seeing my teacher huffing and puffing like a train gives me a great idea.
36
I whisper it to Hailey and Owen.
37
The final bell rings and everyone freezes – except Owen and Hailey.
38
“It’s the biggest one we could make!” they shout, furiously flapping a huge paper fan at me.
39
Then, just as I’m thinking I’ll be a note-on-my-tummy, melted mummy, clicky bricky, clingy stringy, blucky stucky glue boy for the rest of my life, my plan works!
40
Something my teacher said could never happen, happens: the glue dries!
41
But I’m still stuck, and now I hear footsteps… The door starts to open… My father and some other carpool parents walk in.
42
Dad comes closer and inspects me.
43
Then he peels me off the table – glue, yarn, bricks, and all.
44
He spins me around.
45
No one makes a sound.
46
Then Dad smiles.
47
“Matty, you’re a masterpiece!” He holds me up for everyone to admire.
48
My friends all cheer.
49
The car ride home is interesting.
50
Mom is speechless when Dad brings me in the house, but he knows just what to do.
51
“Well, kiddo,” Dad says, “some beautiful things only happen once, and this is one of those things.” He gently grips the dried glue in front of my neck and behind my collar – and peels me open like a ripe banana!
52
Now it’s Dad’s turn to glue, and he seals up the sides of the me-shaped work of art.
53
“I bet it would take all the glue in the art room to make a YOU-shaped work of art, Dad!” I say.
54
Dad laughs.
55
Then he glues a big magnet to the back of my project and hangs it on the fridge.
56
During dinner, we sneak peeks at my masterpiece.
57
And after Dinner… …we take the principal’s note very seriously.
58
Please encourage Matty to use tape instead of glue.
59
I like this book a whole bunch because I feel like when I was a kid, I had adults be like “Don’t do that. Don’t do that.” But this kid in this book follows his instincts and he makes a beautiful work of art that his parents appreciate.
60
Thank you for watching Storyline Online.
61
Make sure to check out all of our stories.
62
Keep watching, and keep reading.
63
[credits]

Download App

AI scoring for every sentence you speak

Scan To Download
Scan To Download
Download on theApp Store
Get it onGoogle Play
TRENDING

Popular

About This Lesson

Welcome to your English learning practice based on the delightful story "Too Much Glue" read by Nicole Byer. In this lesson, you will engage with a fun narrative that highlights creativity and the consequences of overdoing things. Through listening and practicing shadowing techniques with the video, you will improve your English speaking practice skills, enhance your pronunciation, and build a richer vocabulary. As you follow along, pay attention to the emotional tone and rhythm of the reading, which will help you adopt a more natural speaking style in English.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Too much glue - Refers to the excessive use of glue causing trouble.
  • Puddles - Small pools of liquid; in this context, too much glue creates sticky messes.
  • Art class - A class focused on creativity through artistic expression.
  • Belly flop - A physical action of jumping onto something (like a table) while landing on one’s stomach.
  • Stuck - Unable to move due to being glued or attached.
  • Masterpiece - A great work of art; signifies uniqueness and creativity.
  • Gluey lake - A vivid image created by the glue spread across the table.
  • Blucky stucky mess - Descriptive phrase conveying a sticky and troublesome situation.

Practice Tips

To maximize your learning experience, utilize the shadowing technique as you watch the video. Here are some practical tips:

  • Listen carefully to Nicole Byer’s pronunciation and intonation as she reads. Aim to mimic her speech closely.
  • Pause the video after phrases that intrigue you. Repeat them out loud to practice your English speaking practice.
  • Focus on the emotional tone she conveys. Try to express similar emotions when you repeat after her for a more engaging speaking style.
  • Record yourself while practicing and then compare your pronunciation with Nicole's. This will help you identify areas for improvement.
  • Engage with fellow learners by discussing the story’s themes and vocabulary, making your practice not just about speaking but also about understanding.

By incorporating these strategies, you will find that learning English with YouTube can be an enjoyable and effective way to enhance your language skills! Remember to practice consistently and to use the shadowspeaks approach to become more confident in your English speaking.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

☕ Buy us a coffee