Steve Light

A young New Yorker goes in search of his dragon in this delightful counting book/city travelogue, making his way past twenty iconic city sights during the course of his journey. From a hot-dog stand to the harbor, the park to the book stall, the boy searches high and low, as the number of objects being counted in the background - ten paint cans, fifteen balloons - grows steadily larger. Eventually, the dragon is discovered just where he ought to be...

I enjoyed Have You Seen My Dragon?, which show more functions on a number of different of levels, offering a creative tale of a boy and 'his' dragon, an entertaining exploration of lower Manhattan, and a successful counting book, all in one. Steve Light's detailed artwork, done primarily in black pen, with color accents on each page, is immensely appealing, reminding me a bit of Who Needs Donuts? (although a bit less frenetic than that earlier title!). I liked the fact that the objects being counted are the ones in color, as this aids the reader's perusal. I also liked the eventual location of the dragon - very appropriate. Recommended to anyone looking for fun picture-books with a New York theme, or for creative counting books. show less

When his beloved captain gets downhearted at the dilapidated state of their ship, the young pirate boy in this entertaining picture-book from author/illustrator Steve Light has an idea. They will trade a button for two teacups, the teacups for rope, and so on, until they have everything they need to make the ship new again...

I saw the author perform Swap! at an event, and it made for an engaging read-aloud, as the audience joined in, shouting "Swap!" at every exchange. This story type, in show more which a series of exchanges is made, until the hero(s) finally reach their intended goal, reminds me of similar folktales I have encountered from diverse traditions, as well as such classic picture-books as Elsa Beskow's Pelle's New Suit. The detailed artwork is immensely appealing, with that same combination of pen and ink drawings and judiciously-used color accents that made Have You Seen My Dragon? and Have You Seen My Monster? so successful. Recommended to all young would-be pirates, and to anyone looking for children's stories about problem solving. show less

Zephyr loved airplanes of all kinds, whether paper or real. When her passion landed her in hot water at home, after a paper airplane launch caused chaos in the living room, she was sent to her bedroom in disgrace. Discovering a mysterious door behind her bureau, she walked into a magical alternative world, one containing an amazing airplane design studio, the bright blue skies in which to fly a real plane, and a far-off land with winged pigs. An amazing adventure ensued (naturally), before show more Zephyr finally decided it was time to return home...

An entertaining tale of a girl who followed her passion and experienced an out-of-this-world adventure, Zephyr Takes Flight reminded me both of Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, with its tale of a child sent to their room in disgrace, only to escape into a land of imagination (or is it?), and of Aaron Becker's wordless picture-book trilogy, beginning with Journey, which likewise follows a child as they use their imagination while stepping through a door into another world. Zephyr is an engaging heroine, and her story, as told through both text and illustrations, is quite appealing. I really enjoyed Steve Light's artwork here, and think it ably captured the whimsy of his text. Recommended to all young would-be aviators, and to anyone looking for children's stories about using one's imagination, and having exciting adventures as a result. show less

Wonderful book! My three year old loves it. Beautifully illustrated with lots of details and limited words, Steve Light tells the story of construction workers who "break" down old structures in order to "build" new ones, through the eyes of two children taking their father the lunch pail he forgot at home. I'll be honest that when we got to the end, where the dad lifts the children onto a steel beam (and they are not wearing hard hats), my first thought was OSHA violation and serious show more liability. But, it's all in good fun in this cute book where you are not supposed to notice such things. ;) show less