Written & Illustrated by: William Steig
This is one of my favorite stories! Briefly, this story is about Sylvester, a donkey, who finds a magic red pebble and it grants Sylvester wishes. Sylvester accidentally wishes to become a big rock to escape the wrath of a lion and then realizes he doesn't have hands in order to hold the pebble and make a wish to return to himself. Readers view what happens as time passes on and Sylvester doesn't return home to his parents.
What I enjoy about this story is the human-like qualities of the animals. It is very evident in the illustrations the emotions the animals are feeling. I really like the illustrations because they seem "classic." The paper used is not glossy so it gives this story a different feel. None of the illustrations are in frames and the text is not in the pictures. The illustrations are simple, but very detailed. I don't know if this makes sense, but everything that's in the pictures should be there. Though a little long, this is a simple story and does not call for elaborate, glossy pictures with exaggerated characters.
Many students will enjoy this book and it is a good story to use when teaching students to make predictions. There are many times in the story when the teacher can stop and ask students to tell what they think is going to happen next. Even just for an enjoyable read aloud, this is an entertaining fantasy story with a happy ending!
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