Thunder Bay electrician writes Animal Trades book series

Thunder Bay Electrician Writes Animal Trades Series to Explain Career Paths

Steve McKeown spent a six-hour commute home from a work site dreaming up a children’s book series designed to make skilled trades accessible to young readers, elliotlaketoday.com reported. The Thunder Bay-based electrician and father of three authored Lion the Electrician after struggling to explain his frequent travel and job duties to his children. The self-published collection has since expanded to include Bear the Carpenter and Crow the Lineman, forming the growing Animal Trades series, known in French as Les Métiers des Animaux.

The Tech TL;DR:
• Thunder Bay electrician Steve McKeown self-published the Animal Trades book series to introduce children to carpentry, electrical work, and linework.
• The first two books are available in both English and French, featuring animal characters designed to challenge traditional gender roles in male-dominated industries.
• McKeown has an upcoming public and school library event scheduled in Dryden, Ontario, on Oct. 28, 2026, hosted by the Northwest Training and Adjustment Board.

Expanding the Animal Trades Catalog Across Ontario

The self-published project relies entirely on Canadian production, utilizing local illustrators and printers in Quebec to maintain creative control under the “Elbows-up” movement. While initial expectations assumed a traditional publishing contract with a literary agent, McKeown learned the intricate details of paper weights, inks, ISBN assignment, distribution, and consignment models independently. His books have since reached shelves at Entershine Bookshop and Indigo in Thunder Bay, alongside locations elsewhere in Ontario with upcoming availability in Alberta. The series maintains rigorous technical accuracy, with McKeown consulting practitioners from each respective trade during the manuscript review phase before moving forward with production.

Challenging Gender Stereotypes in Traditional Trades

Animal protagonists anchor the narrative structure by helping children identify relatable workplace traits early in their development. In the second installment, Bear the Carpenter features a female protagonist to actively counter historical gender imbalances common in physical trades. McKeown noted that introducing non-traditional roles early alters perceptions for both young girls and boys entering school systems. The upcoming release, Gorilla the Iron Worker, will expand the collection toward the author’s vision of a dozen distinct trade-focused titles.

Upcoming Public Library Events in Dryden

McKeown will host an interactive engagement event on Oct. 28, 2026, at the school and public library in Dryden, Ontario. Facilitated by the Northwest Training and Adjustment Board, the session highlights the French editions of the series and provides direct interaction with students and families throughout the day.