Steve: Born to Run

Learning new motivational techniques in Steve: Born to Run by Kelly Collier.

Steve is ready for the spring running race but when he finds out this year it’s a relay race, he has his team all picked out. Stacking the deck with deer, rabbit and fox would make for the ultimate team, however, this year there is a random draw for teams and Steve is with duck, snail and turtle. Steve puts on his coaching hat in order to motivate his team of slowpokes to win the race.

In Kelly Collier’s graphic novel adaptation of her picture book Team Steve, readers have the chance to get a look at what it mean to be a good teammate and a good coach. Although Steve is a bit delusional, he does take his team of slow animals and gives them the confidence and drive to think beyond their animal adaptations. 

Sport is one way that young readers can learn some really great life skills: being a good teammate, perseverance, dedication, work ethic, etc. Having a hilarious graphic novel that is not only quite funny but also reflective of all of these factors in sport is so wonderful for readers to be able to take Steve’s lessons and use them in their sporting lives. 

The art, also by Kelly Collier, is incredibly funny and very cheeky. She stays with the familiar colour palette used in books 1 and 2, keeping the series dry cohesive and easily identifiable. Her animal characters are some of the best and funniest I’ve seen in graphic novels. The illustrations are endearing and create warm, wonderful feelings for readers, keeping them coming back for Steve’s shenanigans.