"Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" By: William Steig

Grade Level:
Ranking: 5/5
Illustrations By: William Steig

I loved the book "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble". The message was endearing and hopeful. When Sylvester finds a magic pebble that grants his every wish he can only imagine the endless possibilities that his life now holds however, when he turns himself into a rock with attempts of escaping a hungry lion his dreams shortly vanish. He is stuck as a rock for years until finally his parents find the magic pebble and wish for their Sylvester to return. I think that the message behind this book transitions from Sylvester's natural human materialism when he first finds the magic pebble into something much more. I was saddened when Sylvester was turned into a rock for so long and the hardship that was experienced by both him and his family broke my heart. This book allows the reader to connect with the main characters and feel their pain when they are distanced from their loved ones. I experienced great despair when Sylvester gave up hope of ever being reunited with his family. It was almost as if the hope I had throughout the entire story had vanished which made it even more emotional when Sylvester's parents found the pebble and wished that he returned to them. I have never felt more emotion from illustrations that displayed a donkey family becoming reunited after a long hardship. My favorite line of the entire book is the last line in the story which reads "Some day they might want to use it, but really, for now, what more could they wish for? They all had all that they wanted". I think that this line really allows students to appreciate what they have and that the best materials items in the world could never replace the love and compassion that is offered through the irreplaceable bonds of family.