Everyone’s favourite horse is back in a new story, Team Steve written by the hilarious Kelly Collier, published by Kids Can Press.  There is so much to like about Steve. He’s a good horse, built for racing.  Each year he is the winner of the big Spring Race-a-Thon but this year things are different.  This year the race is a relay.  To keep things fair Steve is on a team with snail, duck, and turtle.  Even though Steve’s teammates are not exactly the fastest racers he is not deterred and is determined to coach his team to victory.

Team Steve is an especially silly story with fabulous illustrations making it an excellent read aloud.  You could really dive in and come up with voices for the characters and read it with tremendous enthusiasm.  Steve proves to be a great coach and with an underlying message of sportsmanship and gumption, readers will hopefully come away with a better appreciation of how to be a great teammate and how to be a positive problem solvers.  

Once again, the illustrations make this story completely come to life.  With the simple black drawings on a beige background, you wouldn’t think this story would be a lively and full of humour as it is given the colour choice.  However, it’s just right. The illustrations are able to stand on their own merit and do not need any other colour to come to life and grab your attention.  With the same little asides and hilarious facial expressions as in the first Steve book, you will be happy to read this book again and again. I know as I have already had to read it three times today and it’s not even lunch time.  We love how Kelly Collier is not afraid to use some big words to help the story along, also aiding in expanding everyone’s vocabulary. This book does not talk down to readers but instead invites them into the race.

Special thanks to the wonderful people at Kids Can Press who provided a copy of Team Steve in return for an honest review.