Genre 1- (Picture Book) Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Sylvester
and the Magic Pebble
by: William Steig










 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Steig, William. (1969). SYLVESTER AND THE MAGIC PEBBLE. New York, NY. Aladdin Paperbacks ISBN-10: 0-671-66269-1

PLOT SUMMARY

Caldecott Medal award winner William Steig’s Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, is a picture book about a donkey named Sylvester Duncan who lives with his mother and father off Acorn Road in Oatsdale. One of his favorite pastimes is collecting mysterious and beautiful rocks. On one cool and rainy day he noticed a pebble that was flaming red, shiny, and perfectly round like a marble. Holding the beautiful pebble in his hoof he began to shiver from the cold and rain. Sylvester thought to himself, “I wish the rain would stop” and much to his surprise the rain had vanished and the sun shined as if it had never rained. Sylvester quickly realize that the pebble had magical powers. Headed home through Strawberry Hill, Sylvester came across a hungry lion looking right at him. Sylvester made a quick decision to wish himself as a rock until the lion passed. Sylvester quickly realizes that he has no way of holding the pebble in his hoof to wish himself back into a donkey. When Sylvester didn’t return home his parents began to worry, asking neighbors if they had seen him. Even though still a rock, Sylvester knew his parents were searching for him, but couldn’t tell anyone that he was a rock or that he was under their noses. Neighbors gradually stopped looking for Sylvester. His parents had just assumed something horrible had happened to him. The search ended and seasons changed and Sylvester was still a rock. One day Sylvester’s parents went on a picnic trying to cheer themselves up and attempting to move on with their lives; but picnics were not the same without Sylvester. Sylvester’s father came across the same beautiful and shiny pebble that his son had found. He placed the pebble on the rock they decided to picnic on. Sylvester had fallen into a deep sleep only to be awakened by his mother's warmth from sitting on him. Sylvester shouted out at his parents that he was there, but quickly realized he wouldn’t be turned back into a donkey unless someone held the pebble wishing that rock to be a donkey. Though saddened by this thought Sylvester couldn’t give up. Sylvester’s mother, distressed by not having her son around said to his father, “Oh how I wish he were with us on this lovely May day”. POOF!  Sylvester appeared. Shocked and surprised, his parent asked him questions and gave him hugs and kisses. Overwhelmed with joy and after the three had calmed down, Sylvester and his parents returned to their cozy home on Acorn Road in Oatsdale.            

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

William Steig has created a picture book full of magic and humor that will make you smile, but at the same time feel sorrow and sadness that will tug at your heart. Steig’s story of Sylvester and his magic pebble reminds readers that they should be careful what they wish for. Steig’s story also portrays the devastating reactions of parents who have lost a child. 

Steig’s illustrations, although brilliant with color and full of detail, still seemed to stir up negative opinions of his critics. Steig used farm animals instead of humans to illustrate diversity among the citizens of Oatsdale. His portrayal of the town's police as pigs, which Sylvester’s parents turned to when he was missing, raised controversy among several school districts and organizations across the United States; as a result Sylvester and the Magic Pebble was banned in parts of the United States. Even though controversial, William Steig still received The Caldecott Medal in 1970 for the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. Steig’s detailed illustrations make his readers feel the excitement that Sylvester had after he found the magic pebble, as well as the fear Sylvester’s parents felt after they realized he was missing. Steig's illustrations portrayed a roller-coaster of moods from the beginning of the book to the very end. The beginning of Steig’s story is excitement, the middle of the story is panic, towards the end of the story is mourning, and the end of the story is happiness and relief. Steig’s illustrations paint images in the minds of his reader that will always remind them of Sylvester who lives on Acorn Road in Oatsdale, that found a magic pebble.  

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

American Library Association: (1970) Caldecott Award
New York Times Book Review: “The New York Times Book Review wrote of Mr. Steig that "everything he does is magic." This deluxe edition of Sylvester and the Magic Pebble truly recaptures that magic for a whole new generation of readers.”
National Education Association- “Selected as one of the 100 Best Books of the century”

CONNECTIONS

If you are looking for a picture book that discusses family relationships, feelings, and provides a magical adventure, Steig’s Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is the perfect book for you.

Story Bag Technique- When reading the story of Sylvester to children, create a story bag with items that relate to the story, such as a red marble, stuffed donkey, rock, and a stuffed lion. Instead of a paper sack for this story you could place your items in a picnic basket as well. The story bag will give children additional visual aids that will help with comprehension and story retelling.   

Activity:

This picture book also provides an opportunity for children to expand their critical thinking skills, comprehension, and fluency through a question and answer activity. 

Critical Thinking Questions:

Serious questions:

1.      Ask children how they would feel or how they think their parents would feel if they were to be missing? Have children discuss ways that they could prevent themselves from getting lost and what they should do if they were to get lost?

2.      If the story of Sylvester and the Magic Pebble continued after the end of the story, in what ways do you think the Duncan's life would be different from the way it was at the beginning of the story? Why do you think these changes would happen?

Fun questions:

3.      Discuss with children the kinds of things they enjoy doing with their family members. Encourage children to describe those things they particularly like about their parents, guardians, siblings, relatives, and special events they may have shared with them.

4.      Talk about special collections the children may have had similar to the pebble collection that Sylvester had.

Resource: Questions 2-4 came from the resource below. 

Westonwoods. (2011). Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. Retrieved September 12, 2011,  http://westonwoods.scholastic.com/products/westonwoods/study_guides/sylvester_and.the_magic_pebble.pdf