About this title: Sylvester is a donkey who loves collecting unusual pebbles. One day he finds a most amazing red pebble--one that, when he holds it in his hoof, has the ability to grant his every wish. Holding the magical pebble, Sylvester hurries home, eager to share his prize with his mother and father. However, as he nears his house, he encounters a hungry lion. Terrified beyond all reason, Sylvester wishes he could turn into a rock--and he does. Unfortunately, now that he's a rock, Sylvester is unable to pick up or hold the magic pebble, so he is unable to wish himself back into his regular donkey self. ...
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Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
"This story is about donkey named Sylvester Duncan whose hobby is collecting unique pebbles. When he begins to find pebbles, he discovers a lucky one that has magical powers. Sylvester plans to make use of the lucky pebble to help others. Before he can make all his wishes comes true,a lion frightens him on the way home. Sylvester is scared and wishes that he were a rock. His wish was granted and he was not able to take the pebble. Sylvester and his parents are wishing they could be together, because they have been seperated very long. The story ends happily when they're reunited. I really enjoyed this book. I think this author did a great job describing the parents and how much love their had for their child. This story makes your realize that the true magic is your family!"
"Wow. This children's story is surprisingly intense. Jane (3.5) really liked it and we talked about some of the messages. She didn't understand why I cried looking at the illustration on the last page. It was just beautiful. A great story and good discussions too!"
"I know this is an older story, but it is a good one. I experimented with it with a 6th grade class. They actually found it interesting. The story was deep enough that the students could draw meaning and interest from it. See the summary below.
This book is about a donkey named Sylvester that collects pebbles, and he happens to find a magic pebble that grants wishes. He wishes for lots of things, and as long as he is touching the pebble, the wishes will be granted. He runs into a hungry lion and wishes to be a rock, which causes the pebble to fall to the ground and without him touching it; he cannot wish himself back to a donkey.
I liked this book because it related to a real-life situation of when I was a child and had the same idea that something I found was magical and would grant me wishes too. The author did a good job of illustrating the book. I thought that the pictures reinforced the text perfect, so that a child could easily follow along with what was being read and really get involved with the story.
I would let my class go outside and collect pebbles to bring in and color with a red marker, so that they too could have a red pebble like Sylvester. I would also have my class write in their journals 3 wishes that they would want granted from the pebble, to make-believe that the pebble really granted wishes. Also, I would have a class discussion and have my students reflect about a time when their mother or father couldn't find them to relate to Sylvester's parents from the story. The students would have the opportunity to share with the rest of the class about their incident.
I love the conflict and irony, that Sylvester was so close, yet so far away. The illustrations are beautiful. I think that the theme is great to teach kids: Be careful what you wish for. And what you wish for may be right in front of your eyes.
In a classroom, we could decorate our own magic pebbles. We could also write a paper about what kind of things we would wish for if we had magic pebbles"
"This is a 5 star children's book that has a huge metaphor which sends me into tearing mode. It's about a donkey family and their son who turns into a pebble. As a pebble, he can't speak to or be with his parents. Of course they don't recognize him. It is a story of enchantment, since it entails magic wishes and them being granted. The feelings of the characters are real. You become a member of the community inside the pages because the author is skilled at taking you there. You feel the sad tragedy of the parents, the desperation of the pebble, and you can't let it go. Loved this story. It is about love, hope, and victory."
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