BAFTA-winning and EMMY-nominated Belfast-based studio Sixteen South has announced that together with Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana, a worldleading international developer, producer, distributor, and licensor of children’s animated and live-action content, they have optioned and are co-developing and co-producing A Horse Named Steve, a new 2D animated series based on the acclaimed debut picture book by Toronto author-illustrator Kelly Collier. The 52 X 11 series will feature hilarious storylines while showing the importance of friendship, teamwork and appreciating one’s true self. Recently the Vooks animated digital ebook of “A Horse Named Steve,” narrated by actor/comedian Rainn Wilson, helped earn the American company a 2023 Bologna Ragazzi Crossmedia Award nomination in the inaugural Digital Library category. The awards are part of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, a premier global children’s publishing event held annually in Bologna, Italy.

Sixteen South and Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana have optioned and are co-developing and co-producing "A Horse Named Steve", a new 2D animated series based on the acclaimed debut picture book by Toronto author-illustrator Kelly Collier. The 52 X 11’ series will feature hilarious storylines while showing the importance of friendship, teamwork and appreciating one’s true self. Last week, just more than a year since she posted her first video starring Steve, Ashley shared a new instalment – with nearly identical wording and reaction from the sleepy steed. Tiktok via @glittergreigy Ashley and her family did not notice the ‘garden dwellers’ when they first moved in. Tiktok via @glittergreigy Bafta-winning and Emmy-nominated Belfast-based studio Sixteen South recently announced that together with Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana, they have optioned and are co-developing and co-producing A Horse Named Steve. Although the picture books target kids ages three to seven, they have a self-awareness and “dry humor” that make it easy to age up the series concept for eight- to 11-year-olds, explains Williams. “It has an intelligent humor for older kids. It’s smart and snarky, and we’re dead-excited about its unique visual design, which will let us exercise our creative chops.”The world is a big place and kids (adults too) often feel that others don't recognize just how special we each are. In fact, we all spend a lot of effort trying to stand out from then"maddening crowd". Does this often mean copying the.latest trends? If you are a parent or teacher, you know this is true. Being unique and authentic is hard but Steve shows that it is "extra ordinary". This book delivers the message in a simple, straightforward way that kids will love.

His friends have to admit he looks mighty fine and they in copycat fashion try Steve's fashion savvy on top of their heads. Now everyone is EXTRAORDINARY! Such a fine group cannot be found anywhere. I made it quite early that morning, but didn’t get around to posting it until around 7pm – went about my evening as usual, put the kids to bed.

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It's amazing to see how far Steve has come," said author-illustrator Kelly Collier, "Particularly because he started out as a little doodle I made to fill an empty picture frame! I can't wait to see Steve strutting around on TV screens, having found the perfect home with Sixteen South and Nelvana." His friends are impressed. They now claim that they love the natural look and that he's so stylish. Is there room in Canadian literature for another equine creature who’s got a couple of quirks? Which is to say, if you have a thing for roly-poly ponies, do you actually need a horse named Steve?

As we celebrate our 50 thAnniversary, we’ve been reminded of how important the wide range of partnerships we’ve fostered over the years are to the success of our business,” said Lisa Lyons Johnston, President and Publisher of Kids Can Press. “Developing these kinds of partnerships—with Sixteen South and of course with our colleagues at Nelvana—helps to expand the reach of our creators’ books and puts their characters and stories in front of children and families wherever they may be. We’re always on the lookout for stories that will appeal to creators of other children’s entertainment media, as Kelly’s work clearly has.” Steve's self-confidence shines as he tells his friends how fancy and amazing he is. In fact, his attitude verges on over-the-top prideful and rude. There are currently two books in the series: A Horse Named Steve (pictured, 2017) and Team Steve (2018). In the first title, Steve starts wearing a unicorn-style horn to get attention, but experiences unexpected challenges in disguise. In the sequel, he has to compete in a relay race with a turtle and a snail on his team, and learns the lesson that teamwork is more important than winning. Digital storybook platform Vooks adapted the lead book into an animated short, narrated by Rainn Wilson (who played Dwight Schrute in The Office) in 2021.

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This bright, breezy picture-book debut by Toronto author-illustrator Kelly Collier marks the first time I have ever seen the myth of Narcissus reworked with a horse in the starring role. The eponymous equine, like Cephissus and nymph Liriope’s self-infatuated kid, has a high opinion of himself. One day, Steve discovers a gold horn in the forest, and immediately recognizes it as the means by which he can truly become what he always believed himself to be: exceptional. He straps the horn to his head, unicorn-style, and sets off to display his manifest exceptionality to the rest of the forest animals. Award-winning Belfast-based animation studio Sixteen South and kids’ content leader Nelvana announced an agreement to option, co-develop and co-produce a new 2D animated series, A Horse Named Steve, based on the hugely popular debut picture book by Toronto author-illustrator Kelly Collier. The 52x11 series will feature funny storylines while illustrating the importance of friendship, teamwork, and appreciating one’s true self.