Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble Book Review

Bibliography
Steig, William. Sylvester and the magic pebble. New York: Windmill Books, 1969.

Plot Summary
Sylvester is a donkey who enjoys collecting pebbles. One day he finds a red pebble while it is raining. As he was holding the pebble, he wished it was not raining, and the rain suddenly stopped! Sylvester sets out to home with big dreams about making everyone's desires come true. While he is on his way home a lion comes across his path, making him very frightened. He says the first thing that came to his mind, and turns himself into a rock. He couldn't reach the pebble and turn himself back. His parents missed him, and so much time went by while they searched for him that they eventually gave up. Then the next spring, they were going to try to cheer up with a picnic, and came across Sylvester as a rock. His father put the pebble on him, and something magical happens!

Critical Analysis
The story of Sylvester is one where the little donkey shows that family comes of first importance. From the first moment, the reader is intrigued by the pebble, and the anticipation grows as Sylvester proves the pebble and sets out to make more wishes come true. The reader can feel the nervousness and uncertainty when the lion comes, and even start wishing themselves that Sylvester will turn the lion into a mouse, or make himself home safe as the author suggests. It is here that the story takes an unprecedented turn; Sylvester turns himself into a rock. This moves the plot into the hands of the parents, where love, devotion, and perseverance for their child causes them to search and sorrow. The author writes with such attention to the feelings of the characters that the reader feels similar devastation. As the book moves through the seasons, it is as if a long time is passing, and this pulls against the original feeling of hopelessness. Even at the end of the story, the book retains a sense of anticipation as the family is reunited with joy. The reader of this story will continually be asking, "what happens next?" from the first page to the last.

The illustrations of this book serve to both give additional imagination to the story and demonstrate clearly the plot line. A young child may accurately tell the story using the pictures, and older children or adults will enjoy the simple, clean lines and color. The characters faces are well done and give visual emphasis to their emotions. Steig's colorful portrayal of the setting, especially the landscapes, mold the idea of abandonment and loneliness. At the end, the sun comes out showing the happiness of the family reunited and the peacefulness as they live together again, without the magic pebble.

Personal response
I had not read this book before, or even the author. As I started the book, I thought it would be about all the adventures that Sylvester has with his pebble. However, the more I read the greater my surprise was. The plot line included a bit of waiting, in which the author took time to build anticipation and grow my understanding of the feelings of each character. This was well done, because by the end I was rooting for the family instead of the magical things the pebble could do. I have a feeling that this was exactly what the author wanted to inspire in readers, the feeling that family is most important instead of things.

Excerpts of 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, un-self-conscious tenderness."
reviewed in the June 1969 issue of The Horn Book Magazine

1970 Caldecott Medal Winner: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig (Windmill Books)
ALA Review

Connections:
1.) Use to prompt prediction thinking by asking what happens after the family returns home.
2.) Use to show the difference between cool colors and warm colors in art from the pictures.
3.) Discuss seasons, how they change, and favorite activities to do during the seasons.
4.) Read other books that use seasons to show the passing of time, such as:
     Rabbits Good News by Ruth Lercher Bernstein, How Does the Wind Walk by Nancy White Carlson, or The Hello Goodbye Window by Norton Juster.
5.) Read other books by William Steig, such as: Shrek!, The Amazing Bone, Amos & Boris.