Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Bibliography:

Steig, William. 1969. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. New York: Simon & Schuster Inc. ISBN 0-671-66154-X

Summary:

Sylvester is a donkey who collects rocks and one rainy day during vacation he finds a shiny, round, red pebble. Sylvester discovers the pebble grants wishes but on his way home he runs into a hungry lion and in a moment of panic, Sylvester wishes he were a rock to escape the lion. Sylvester lays there as a rock frustrated and sad because he is unable to change back while his family searches everywhere for him.  About a year passes when on a chance outing, Sylvester's parents come upon his shiny red pebble and Sylvester-the-rock.  They accidentally put the two rocks together and Sylvester wishes he were himself again! Sylvester and his parents are happily reunited. 

Analysis:

Sylvester's adventure with the magic pebble is an endearing story of love and loss that is meaningful for children of all ages. Sylvester is a convincing character with his naive outlook on life and his impulsive nature as illustrated when he turns himself into a rock to escape the hungry lion.  Sylvester's parents depict strong emotions of love and commitment to their son as they search tirelessly for him and continue to mourn their loss long after he is gone. These characters create a strong backbone to an easy-to-read-aloud story. The text lends itself to oral-telling in the verbal nature of Steig's language.  The plot is simple and easy to follow for all ages but the illustrations add a crucial element to the text as a whole. 

Steig uses soft, uncomplicated watercolor-like illustrations that depict and extend the story line.  The first visual paints a clear picture of Sylvester's family life with the father as the worker and head of the household and the mother as caretaker of the house.  All the characters seem content within the illustration and the picture itself displays a strong family bond.  The illustrations display character emotions, from the surprise on Sylvester's face (and even the duck's faces in the background) when the rain stops to the puzzlement of the lion when he discovers only a rock in the place where he saw a donkey to the despair of Sylvester's parents when they try to continue their life after realizing he is truly gone.  The illustrations continue setting the tone, and mood.  The reader can actually see how lonely Sylvester is as a rock, how frantically his parents look for him, and how exactly time passes as Sylvester is left to be just a rock.  

As a whole, Stieg's story of Sylvester the donkey is a widely adaptable story, that can be appreciated by a large audience.  The characters, plot and supporting illustrations tell a story of love, loss, devotion and triumph that is widely relate-able for many readers.  

Reviews:

 1970 Caldecott Medal winner

# 28 on A Fuse # 8 Production Reviews' Top 100 Picture Books Poll- 2009 (from School Library Journal)

          This book packed so much emotion, and such a lesson, into a narrative, without feeling 

           preachy. – Lauren Snyder

          Extravagantly beautiful. Tackles with no-holds-barred emotion one of the deepest childhood 

           fears, separation from a parent. – Anna Hebner 

 One Hundred Books that Shaped the Century- 2000, School Library Journal

          Droll and whimsical, poignant and silly, Steig made quite a splash when this 

         touching story of a donkey, whose wish seems to doom him to be a rock forever, won 

         a Caldecott Medal. Steig, who is clearly a winner with both children and adults, has 

         gone on to write and illustrate a Caldecott Honor book, as well as two Newbery Honor

         books.

Connections:

• Retelling Prop Box - paint a round rock or marble red and utilize as a retelling prop after reading Sylvester's story; pass around the "pebble" and discuss what the students would wish for if they had a magic pebble
• Artistic extension - discuss collections and go on a "treasure hunt" outside around building looking for different, shiny, attractive objects (be open to students' interpretations of "treasure") help students display their class collection of treasure
• Other available books by author/illustrator William Steig:

           The Amazing Bone (2011, Square Fish)

           Spinky Sulks (2011, Square Fish)

           Doctor De Soto (2010, Square Fish)

           Amos & Boris (2009, Square Fish)

           Shrek!  (2008, Square Fish)