A Horse Named Steve (Steve the Horse)

Product Information

Securing the horn to his head (or so he thinks), he parades himself before his friends, never noticing when his new headpiece slides from his head, and ends up hanging around his neck. We may not tie a gold horn to our head to be cool, but I bet we all have something we’re doing to improve our social status. Steve's larger-than-life antics and slapstick foibles will put him right at home alongside other iconic and beloved children's book characters.

The 52x11 series will feature funny storylines while illustrating the importance of friendship, teamwork, and appreciating one’s true self. It's a simple story without a lot of deep hidden meanings, but it can also prompt interesting discussions about being a leader or a follower, what makes some people want to stand out, and what kinds of situations make us happy. Joseph’s rich nighttime-blue illustrations (done “in the style of [series co-creator] Jill McElmurry”) highlight the power of the storm and capture the still serenity that follows. The eponymous equine, like Cephissus and nymph Liriope’s self-infatuated kid, has a high opinion of himself. Collier varies her use of typefaces and sizes and adds some comic-book panels, authorial asides, and occasional definitions to the telling.

Throughout the story, Collier interweaves humorous commentary and some definitions (such as for devastated: “That means really, really bummed.

Everything is done very professionally with this company and always lets you know every step of the process. Fortunately for our equine hero, his imitative friends provide the answer - soon Steve is the only animal around without something attached to head, making him stand out again! When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. We asked them if we were too late, but they responded saying no, that we were the first people to get in touch about A Horse Named Steve.A Horse Named Steve is a picturebook by Kelly Collier about a horse named Steve who is a fine horse, but who longs to be more. Kids Can Press suggested that we talk to Nelvana about A Horse Named Steve, and we were obviously on board. It would work especially well with a SWBST (Somebody Wanted But So Then) lesson since Steve's goals and conflicts are so clear.