Unit 1 Review - Sylvester and The Magic Pebble

 

Bibliographic Information

Steig, William. (1969). Sylvester and the magic pebble (W. Steig, Illus.). New York : Windmill Books / Simon and Schuster, 1969. ISBN: 1442435607

Plot Summary

Sylvester Duncan lived with his father and mother at Acorn Road in Oatsdale. One of his hobbies was collecting pebbles of unusual shape and color. One rainy day he found a magic pebble that had the power to grant all wishes. Starting home to amaze his mother and father, he was frightened by a lion, and the wish that he wished led to a year of sorrow and separation for the Duncan family. The lost son and his parents faced their problem with bravery and determination, until the happy conclusion reunited the endearing donkey with his love and steadfast father and mother.

Critical Analysis

Having been a reader my entire life, I was surprised to find this classic children’s book on the list of books I had never read before. Sylvester and The Magic Pebble by William Steig is a classic children’s book with a lesson learned and a happy ending. Written in 1970, the storytelling is detailed and descriptive. Even if there were not the beautiful illustrations, the reader would easily be able to see this tale in their head because of the language Steig uses. Words such as, “flaming red, shiny, and perfectly round, like a marble” to describe the pebble. “Fall came with the leaves changing color. Then the leaves fell and the grass bent to the ground” give vivid pictures of the changing seasons in a reader’s mind. 

Now over 50 years old, it was interesting to see just how much storytelling for children has changed. Compared to most books published for children today, Sylvester and The Magic Pebble, contained so much language. Objects are described. Adjectives are given. The main character’s thoughts are stated. One page contained two paragraphs, which is much more than most children’s books I have read in the past few years. Reading with my four year old, she lost interest about half-way through the book which made me realize that the majority of this generation of readers have short attention spans. Modern authors have modified their writing to accommodate modern readers. Sylvester and The Magic Pebble touches on so many complex emotions like being miserable, feeling hopeless, helpless and unhappy. One quote from the book states, “Life had no meaning for them anymore.” Something not often seen in today’s books for children. 

The illustrations in this book are beautiful and telling about the talent of William Steig. The pictures appear to be watercolor and are incredibly detailed. Everything from the tablecloths, the clothes the characters wear, the flowers in the meadow, the stars in the sky, and even the floorboards have character. The pictures are simple enough so that young readers can discern emotions and see what is going on, but complex enough so that adult readers will enjoy seeing all the detail and effort put into them. Steig seems to have found the nearly impossible balance in writing and illustrating for children: to amuse the child being read to and entertain the adult doing the reading. This book was silly and sweet, as children’s books should be, but also touched on real world emotions and feelings. The grief touched on in this book is real and raw, but in a book with the main characters being donkeys, William Steig still managed to teach a valuable lesson on perseverance and the importance of family. This is a lovely, moving, thought-provoking story that I think most anyone would enjoy.

Awards Won & Review Excerpt(s)

-1970 Caldecott Award Winner

-Nominated for the 1970 National Book Award for Young People's Literature

-1978 Lewis Carroll Shelf Award

-Review in Publisher’s Weekly: “Thanks to the rediscovery of the original watercolor artwork, in preparation for an exhibit of William Steig's work (see Children's Bookshelf, Oct. 27), newly restored edition of Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, complete with Steig's acceptance speech for the Caldecott Medal, makes the book look better than ever. This tale of a donkey who wishes on a magic pebble has charmed a generation of readers and will no doubt go on to attract a new one.”

Connections

*An excellent choice as a mentor text for comprehension strategies and for writing. Use Sylvester and the Magic Pebble to discuss cause and effect, schema building, descriptive language, etc. 

*Gather more books by William Steig who provides a unique way of storytelling that appeals to children and adults alike. 

Steig, William. Doctor De Soto. 9780312611897

Steig, William. Brave Irene. 9780312564223

Steig, William. Shrek! 9780312384494