Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

1. Bibliography

Steig, William. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1969. ISBN 0671662694

2. Plot Summary 

Sylvester collects pebbles of all kinds, big and small, rough and smooth. One day, he happens to find a shiny red pebble that he instantly wants for his collection. When he finds this pebble, it is raining, so he wishes for the rain to stop and it stops immediately. He finds out that when he is holding the pebble, it will grant any wish. Excited, he starts for home, but encounters a lion. He wishes to be turned into a rock to avoid the lion, but in the process, he loses the pebble and remains a rock. For months, his parents search for him and he wishes to be a donkey again. When his parents have a picnic one day on the rock that is their son, his father places the pebble on the rock and Sylvester wishes to be a donkey again. He is transformed back to his original self and goes home with his parents. 

3. Critical Analysis

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is a classic picture storybook. The illustrations perfectly depict the scenes that the words provide. The reader feel Sylvester's excitement when he finds the magic pebble and how excited he is to help his mother and father and grant the wishes of practically anyone. The reader can feel his panic when he encounters the lion and does not know what to do, even though he is holding a magic pebble. Even holding a very powerful pebble could not save Sylvester from his fate. 

The illustrations are simple, but effective in portraying the story and the emotions that come from it. The reader can see the tears that Sylvester's mother sheds when her son does not return home for months. The style of the illustrations almost seem childlike in order to appeal to children and simply portray Sylvester's trials. The reader, through this picture storybook, is able to understand the theme of appreciating what you already have through the story of Sylvester and his magic pebble. 

4. Review Excerpts

1970 Caldecott Medal Winner

Top 100 Picture Books #55 by School Library Journal 

From Kirkus Reviews: "...Surely the prize predicament of the year and, in William Steig's pearly colors, one of the prettiest." 

5. Connections

Read books similar to Sylvester and the Magic Pebble such as:

• McCloskey, Robert. Make Way for Ducklings. ISBN 9780140564341
• dePaola, Tomie. Strega Nona. ISBN 9780671666064

Gather other Caldecott Medal books to read such as: 

• Yolen, Jane. Owl Moon. ISBN 9780399214578
• Van Allsburg, Chris. Jumanji. 9780547608389 

Use the illustrations to explore the theme of the story. 

Use in an art class to recreate own illustrations based on the text of the story.