Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
by, William Steig

In this story, Sylvester Duncan discovers a magic pebble and suddenly has the ability to make his every wish come true. While he is walking home, excited to share his new pebble with his parents, he runs into a ferocious hungry lion, who would love to eat a little donkey! Sylvester was so afraid, and unsure of what to do, so he wished that he was a rock. Instantly, Sylvester became a rock. Although safe from the lion, he was no longer holding the pebble, and could no longer make his wishes come true. Now Sylvester was destined to live the rest of his life as a rock! This book tells the story of how Sylvester came to be reunited with his family.

I LOVED this book! The story is rich with language, and is sure to build the vocabulary of a young child. The story is filled with love, and teaches the importance of families being together. The sweet plot, with pieces of humor sprinkled throughout make this a story that children will adore. The story also includes many different animals (complete with names for the young i.e. colts, piglets, puppies, kittens) and could be incorporated into any animal theme curriculum. It also describes the passing of the seasons, and could be used when teaching young children about the seasons of the year.