Shy Steve

K-Gr 2–Shy Steve overcomes his shyness to form a band with his new friend Marianna. A simple young man who keeps to himself and works in a small cubicle, Steve has a daily routine in which he goes to a coffee shop and by memory knows the coffee menu where he barely whispers his order. The Barista constantly writes down the wrong name on his coffee cup but Steve never corrects him. One of Shy Steve’s favorite things to do is writing poetry. One day while waiting to get on the city bus, he hears a humming and a guitar being played but with no words. He turns to see a young lady playing the guitar. Through brave acts, Steve ends up sitting with her on the bus, writing songs. Even after befalling terrible accidents, the two friends separately and together create music; their friendship and creative collaboration bring him happiness, even after he is injured and hospitalized. This beautiful and sad story resonates about how life can be for many. The collage art used is so unique, appearing to be made of clay and fabric, while the diverse characters put humans and animals (anthropomorphized) on equal footing.