Books with author Kevin Collier

?Steve is a fine horse,? begins Kelly Collier's clever picture book. ?But he thinks he could be finer. He wants to be EXCEPTIONAL.? When Steve finds a beautiful gold horn lying on the ground in the forest, he realizes he has found his path to the exceptional! He immediately ties the horn to the top of his head and prances off to show his friends. Not everyone is impressed, but most of his friends agree --- Steve and his horn are indeed exceptional. In fact, many of his friends are so inspired, they decide to tie items to the tops of their heads as well. So when Steve discovers his horn has suddenly gone missing, he's devastated and frantically searches everywhere to find it. He won't be exceptional without his horn! Or will he? This is a laugh-out-loud tale of an endearingly self-absorbed horse, illustrated in lively black-and-white artwork. Throughout the story, Collier interweaves humorous commentary and some definitions (such as for devastated: ?That means really, really bummed.?). The tone of the book allows children to feel like they're in on the joke while the main character isn't, adding to the amusement. Besides its fun appeal as a read-aloud, this book would be a terrific choice to launch discussions on self-esteem, particularly about the difference between what people think will make them special and what actually does make them special. It also works for lessons on proper social skills and how to treat your friends.

It's time for the annual Race-a-thon, and Steve the horse is excited! He knows he'll win. He wins every year! And no wonder, Steve's body is built for running. He's got a big chest for deep breaths, powerful hindquarters to propel him forward and the longest legs in the forest. But when he goes to sign up, Steve finds out the rules have changed, and his confidence starts to waver. Because this year, the Race-a-thon is going to be a relay race, which means all runners must compete in teams. And Steve's on a team with the slowest runners in the forest: Turtle, Duck and Snail! Is it possible that Steve could lose the Race-a-thon for the first time ever? This delightful picture book story from Kelly Collier about the lovable --- if sometimes self-absorbed --- horse named Steve is laugh-out-loud funny. Every page features humorous and cleverly designed interplay between the illustrations and commentary, as well a few definitions (such as powerful hindquarters: ?That means strong bum muscles?) that provide vocabulary enrichment. The humor and the edge-of-the-seat description of the race make this a fantastic read-aloud pick. It also works as a great discussion starter on the topic of sportsmanship and on the character education skill of teamwork.

What happens when legends collide and an eccentric old man meets creatures of lore? Will he give them up? Or will he keep their secret? As Professor Horace, Cryptozoologist, ventures into the unknown, he encounters Big Foot, the Loch Ness Monster, and the Ropen. The myth seeker becomes myth himself. Suggested age readers 5-12. BLOG: http://professorhorace.blogspot.com/

“Steve is a fine horse. But he thinks he could be finer. He wants to be EXCEPTIONAL.” When Steve finds a gold horn in the forest and attaches it to his head, ta-da! Exceptional! His friends are so impressed, they, too, attach objects to their own heads, in an effort to be as exceptional as Steve. So when Steve suddenly realizes his horn has gone missing, he’s devastated! He won’t be exceptional without his horn! Or will he?A laugh-out-loud tale of an endearingly self-absorbed horse who learns that there’s more than one way to blow your own horn!

VS Grenier is back with another SugarPaw tale from her childhood…Whistle Beans!Children have a hard time learning to whistle. However, there is a secret and VS Grenier shares it in this fun SugarPaw adventure. But how can vegetables help and what do they have to do with whistling? Only SugarPaw and Bonnie Whiskers can tell you in their new adventure as they chase Bonnie Whiskers’ pet parrot Cesar all over town.

The channel of water Esther lives in may be shallow and narrow, but its secrets run deep. Join Esther, a young painted turtle, on her journey to discover who was responsible for the death of her mother. This compelling tale reveals how things are not always what they seem, and the answer to everything is love and forgiveness. A new edition of Kevin Scott Collier's 2005 fiction novel.