Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Sylvester and the Magic PebbleWritten and Illustrated by: William Steig

On a rainy day, Sylvester finds a magic pebble that can make wishes come true. But when a lion frightens him on his way home, Sylvester makes a wish that brings unexpected results.

How Sylvester is eventually reunited with his loving family and restored to his true self makes a story that is beautifully tender and filled with magic.

The summary is from the back cover published by Aladdin Paperbacks.

This book was written in 1969 and is still a favorite, classic picture book.  The big hearts of the characters and a truly accidental wish make for a great story and I am sure it will be loved for many years to come.

Discussion/Project Ideas:

1.  Assuming you have never lost a person, have you ever lost an object that was very important to you?  Did you find it?  If so, did you do anything special to prevent you from losing it again?  If not, were you able to replace it?  Were you able to find another way to keep the memory of the object alive?  Draw a picture of your object and briefly tell the story.  If you have never lost anything important to you, think of your most special possession and pretend…!

2.  Sylvester never made it home with the magic pebble before he had his “accident” and learned the value of what he already had.  After having gotten to know the characters throughout the story, what do you think they would have wished for if Sylvester had made it home?

3.  Sylvester’s father put the pebble away in case they might want to use it in the future.  How much time do you think will pass by before they use it?  What do you think they will wish for?  Remember to keep your predictions in line with what you know about the characters.

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