While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet. David: Yeah, we were definitely drawn in first by how beautiful the characters are in the book – but then by the words that come out of the characters, because they’re hilarious. It’s smart and snarky, and we’re dead-excited about its unique visual design, which will let us exercise our creative chops.

Beyond that, I think it’s helpful to keep on top of what is going on in the industry in general, and it’s helpful to network. There are currently two books in the series: A Horse Named Steve (pictured, 2017) and Team Steve (2018). We definitely need more books like this which highlight the importance of accepting who you are rather than following what the crowd does.A Horse Named Steve is a sign of what’s to come at Sixteen South, as it expands its slate and shifts more focus to comedy, adds Williams. In fact, many of his friends are so inspired, they decide to tie items to the tops of their heads as well. The animal characters' facial expressions and side comments are giggle-inducing, making this a great read-aloud picture book. Many of the pitches are very formulaic, and so to stand out, you want to play with that formula a bit. Colin: In these pitches you’ve got one minute to impress somebody before they decide either “this is boring” or “I love this.

You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. When Steve finds a beautiful gold horn lying on the ground in the forest, he realizes he has found his path to the exceptional!

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. He scoops up his now golden crown and ties it on his head and gallops off at full speed to show his friends how AMAZING he is now. Little Blue Truck has been chugging along since 2008, but there seems to be plenty of gas left in the tank. A cute book with fun, quirky illustrations, this tells a much needed story about how you can be exceptional if you're just like everyone else, or if you're the different one.

Colin: It all started when we read an article from Kidscreen that listed some great books that could be considered for TV adaptations. The artwork, done in ink and watercolor, and finished digitally, is likewise quirky and somewhat sweet. It’s a good time to re-evaluate if we really need to do that thing, why we’re doing that, and what really gives us value. With its hilarious text and illustrations, this one would make a fun read-aloud, and many outside-the-box children will understand Steve's desire to be fabulously different.Likewise, the clever use of the ‘Clap, Clap, Clap’ sound when Steve excitedly decides that the horn will make him exceptional, resembles the clippity-clop of a horses shoes on the ground – adding to the realism and hilarity of the story. As someone who has been obsessed with horses since she could first breathe, I couldn’t help but cherish this captivating tale of a horse that just wants to feel special. The illustrations matched the characters perfectly and the story was as entertaining as it was informative. The eponymous equine, like Cephissus and nymph Liriope’s self-infatuated kid, has a high opinion of himself.