Winner of the Caldecott in 1970!

Steig, William. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. New York: Prentice-Hall. 1969.
ISBN: 0138817073

Author:
William Steig was born on November 14, 1907, in New York City.  Steig did not write his first children’s book until 1968, long after he had become famous as a cartoonist.  His third book, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble (1969), is not only one of his best-loved but also one of his most celebrated.

Plot Summary:
Sylvester Duncan is a donkey who lives with his mom and dad.  Sylvester liked to collect pebbles and rocks. One day Sylvester finds a beautiful red pebble and realizes it has magical powers.

 The beautiful red pebble will grant the holder any wish desired. Sylvester is excited by the thought that he and his family can have anything they want.   On the way home, Sylvester encounters a lion which frightens him so badly that he cannot think and wishes he is a rock.  Of course, this is a huge problem considering rocks do not have hands to hold the red pebble and make a wish.  Poor Sylvester must endure the pain of being away from his family while living life as a rock.

 His parents search everywhere for him and are so upset but cannot find him anywhere. Of course the story ends much happier because after his parents decide they must try to go on without Sylvester, they go on a picnic.  And what do they find... the red pebble beside the rock.  His parents sit the red pebble on the rock(Sylvester) not realizing it is their son. Sylvester, barely still able to think, wishes to be a donkey again. 
  
The overall theme/lesson being taught to children is the idea of being happy with what you have.  

The illustrations are very subtle and show the setting changing through the seasons.  The illustrations are done with a watercolor feel to them and outlined to make them more distinct.  The colors are very beautiful and soft for children to enjoy.  Children will love the simple design and calmness the illustrations bring.  The characters are animals and each animal is illustrated in a way to give off a personality for children to build on while reading. The animals are of a cartoon nature not meant to be realistic. 

Extension Activities: 
Talk with children about what they might wish for if they found a magic pebble. Ask: Why would you wish for these things? How would these things make your life better?  Later, print children's wishes on small slips of paper. Put the wishes in a hat or box. Have children take turns pulling a wish out of the hat and seeing if they can identify the child in the group who made the wish.  Remind children of the problems Sylvester faced in the story. Encourage children to think critically by asking, if you were Sylvester and you saw a lion approaching, how would you have used the magic pebble to help you?

Reviews: 

A remarkable atmosphere of childlike innocence pervades the book; beautiful pictures in full, natural color show daily and seasonal changes in the lush countryside and greatly extend the kindly humor and the warm, unself-conscious tenderness.- The Horn Book

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble was recognized by the California Teachers' Association as one of the 100 Best Books of the Century. The good news is that Sylvester will continue to delight young readers for centuries to come.- Book Page