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The Two Steves facts for kids

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For "The Two Steves" of Apple, founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, see History of Apple Inc.

The Two Steves are two British writers, Steve Barlow (whose real name is Steven Lowe) and Steve Skidmore (born December 7, 1960). They work together to write children's books. They have written more than 70 books as a team! Most of their books are published under their names, Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore. However, for two of their "Dragonriders of Bresal" novels, they used the pen name Salamanda Drake.

Meet the Authors: Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore

How They Started Writing Together

Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore first met in 1987. They were both working at Fairham Comprehensive School in Nottingham, England. Soon after, they decided to team up and write books. They have been writing together ever since!

They work as freelance writers. This means they work for different publishers. Some of these include Scholastic and Collins. Their very first published work was a book of three short plays called "Paper Tigers" in 1991. Their first full novel was "I Fell in Love with a Leather Jacket," published in 1993.

What Kinds of Books Do They Write?

The Two Steves write many different types of books. Most of their work is for children and teenagers. They have also written books for schools to help kids learn. They even helped edit other educational books for publishers like Heinemann and Oxford.

They are also known for their funny parody books. For example, they wrote "Star Bores," which makes fun of popular movies. Many of their books have been translated into other languages. Some of their stories, like "The Mad Myths" and "Vernon Bright," were even released as audiobooks. They have also made some of their older books available as digital versions for phones and other devices.

As of March 2015, The Two Steves were still busy writing new books. They were working with publishers like Usborne and Hachette.

Visiting Schools Around the World

Because they used to be teachers, Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore love visiting schools. They travel all over Britain and to other countries too! They have visited schools in places like Brazil, China, Qatar, Venezuela, Oman, and Malaysia. They also work with libraries in Britain. They have been part of big events like the Northern Children's Book Festivals.

A Look at Their Books

Early Books and Plays

Before they started writing together, Steve Skidmore wrote two non-fiction picture books in 1990. These were "Poison! Beware!" and "What a Load of Rubbish!"

Their first books together included:

  • Paper Tiger (1991): This book had three plays about a group of newspaper delivery kids. The plays explored topics like fairness and the law.
  • One (plus one): Monologues and duologues for performance (1991)

Books for Older Kids and Teens

The Two Steves have written several novels for young adults. These include:

  • I Fell in Love With a Leather Jacket (1993)
  • In Love With an Urban Gorilla (1995)
  • Dream On (1998)

Popular Book Series for Kids

The Two Steves are famous for their exciting book series. Here are some of them:

Mad Myths Series

This series is about characters from mythology who end up in the modern world. Puffin Books first published them. Later, they became available on phones and other devices.

  • Stone Me! (1995)
  • Mind the Door! (1996)
  • A Touch of Wind! (1998)
  • Must Fly! (1998)
  • Don't Look Back (2006)

Lost Diaries Series

In this series, the authors imagine the secret diaries of historical or legendary people.

  • The Lost Diary of Erik Bloodaxe, Viking Warrior (1997)
  • The Lost Diary of Henry VIII's Executioner (1997)
  • The Lost Diary of Julius Caesar's Slave (1997)
  • The Lost Diary of Hercules' Personal Trainer (1998)
  • The Lost Diary of Shakespeare’s Ghostwriter (1999)
  • The Lost Diary of Robin Hood's Money Man (1999)

Star Bores Parody Books

These books are funny parodies of popular sci-fi movies.

  • Star Bores (1999)
  • Star Bores: the Prequel (2004)

Vernon Bright Series

This series follows the adventures of a super-smart boy genius named Vernon Bright.

  • Vernon Bright and the Magnetic Banana (2000)
  • Vernon Bright and Frankenstein's Hamster (2000)
  • Vernon Bright and The Faster-Than-Light Show (2001)
  • Vernon Bright and the End of the World (2004)

Tales of the Dark Forest Series

This is a fantasy series set in a mysterious place called the Dark Forest.

Outernet Series

This project was a mix of web and book stories. It's about a group of friends who protect the universe from bad guys called the FOES.

  • Friend or Foe? (2002)
  • Control (2002)
  • Odyssey (2003)
  • Time Out (2003)
  • The Hunt (2003)
  • The Weaver (2003)

Dragonriders of Bresal Series

Written under the name "Salamanda Drake," this series is for girls. It's about a young girl and the dragons raised in her father's stables, like horses.

  • Dragonsdale (2007)
  • Riding the Storm (2008)
  • Snowfall and dragonfire (2018)
  • Flying for gold (2018)

Luke Challenger Series

This is a science fiction series from Usborne Publishing. It takes readers on new adventures inspired by classic stories.

  • Return to the Lost World (2010)
  • Return to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (2011)
  • Return to King Solomon's Mines (2012)

IHorror Series

These are "Choose Your Own Adventure" style horror books. You play as a character called the "Hunter" who fights supernatural creatures.

  • Vampire Hunter
  • Zombie Hunter
  • Werewolf Hunter
  • Demon Hunter

Steve Barlow at LibraryThing Steve Skidmore at LibraryThing

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