Steve Light is the August author for the 2021 Author Study Challenge. We pushed the higher end of children’s books last month with Kate DiCamillo and her extraordinary chapter books and middle grade books. Steve Light writes and illustrates for the other end of the spectrum. If you have a kid under 5 then he is a great children’s book creator to know.
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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2021 AUTHOR STUDY CHALLENGE
Meet Steve Light
Steve Light is an artist from New Jersey. He studied illustration and later put his skills to excellent work writing and illustrating books for children. His board books and picture books are bright, energetic, and full of understanding for their young audience. I love the way his books often have a layer of learning built into their stories. Steve Light is a name to know if you have or work with babies, toddlers and preschoolers.
Learn more about Steve Light on his site: http://stevelightart.com/
Board Books by Steve Light
Trains Go
Our first book by Steve Light. We discovered it when we were reading every book there was about trains because my son was obsessed and this was one of our favorites. This is a board book series which is fabulous fun. Great use of onomatopoeia and I love the playful, whimsical way the trains are illustrated. Find Online
Trucks Go
This is another great one in this vehicle board book series for toddlers. Steve Light is one of my most favorite authors for kids and this is one of my favorite books. It is full of awesome truck noises and fun bright illustrations. My five year olds still adore this one. I won’t list them all here, but if your kids love vehicles there are a bunch of these. Find Online
Up Cat Down Cat
If your baby or toddler doesn’t happen to adore all things that go, then this is the board book for you. It is a book of simple opposites, but the bright illustrations are textured and playful and carry you through the day. A great early board book. Find Online
Picture Books by Steve Light
Have You Seen My Dragon?
We love all of Steve Light’s books, but this is our favorite. The playful text encourages you to help the little boy find his dragon who is hiding on each page. The bold black and white illustrations with splashes of bright color are detailed and interesting. Find on Amazon
Have You Seen My Monster?
Steve Light is one of my favorite author/illustrators and we LOVE Have You Seen My Dragon? so I was super excited when this one came out. Each page invites you to search for the monster at a scene from the county fair. I love the simple drawings with pops of colors. And where the Dragon book focused on numbers, this one helps kids learn shapes from common to very not as they search the pictures. Find Online
Swap!
Could you trade just one button and get enough to fix a pirate ship? Turns out you can if you’re creative and good at problem solving. This is a fun book that utilizes math and economics and colorful illustrations to solve a very big problem. Find Online
Builders and Breakers
Construction workers will love this glimpse at a construction site. These two kids bring their dad the lunch box he forgot and have an adventure. The text is brief. The illustrations are bright, detailed and fantastic. Find Online
Road Trip
This is Steve Light’s newest picture book. It has a lively story, wonderfully sweet animal characters, and detailed illustrations. It’s playful and energetic. I’m hoping we will see these little characters again soon. Find Online
Click Here to Get the Preschool Author Study Pack
Author Study Activity Ideas
Playing with the books you read, writing and creating based on what you read, imitating an author’s style or aspects of their work is part of the fun of author studies. The options are unlimited. Usually I take some ideas from the author’s website, research others online from creative teachers and bloggers, and invent some fun ways to explore the books of my own. This month, Steve Light has done all the work for me.
Steve Light’s Author Study Ideas for Teachers (which will work at home too) has covered all of his delightful books, includes some info about the author, and has lots of ways to learn with his children’s books as well.
Download his Author Study Guide
Here are a couple more general ideas I have used with younger kids and Steve Light books:
- We first fell in love with Steve Light books when my kids were toddlers and loved trains and other vehicles. His board book series of vehicles is incredible. One of the great things about them is their incredible use of onomatopoeia. If you’re doing this with preschoolers or older, you could make your own book. Draw pictures of your favorite things in a single category – maybe zoo animals, farm animals, musical instruments, etc. Then have them dictate (or write if older) what sound they make.
- Read Swap and have a pirate themed book club party. Dress like pirates. Eat Swedish fish or fish crackers and drink tea. Read SWAP and more books about Pirates. Learn how to fold origami ships. Go on a treasure hunt.
#2021authorstudychallenge
Share your favorite books and Steve Light activities on Instagram with the hashtag #2021authorstudychallenge.
