Reader’s Annotation: Be careful what you wish for! After reading this book, you will be happy and content with what you have.
Author/Illustrator: William Steig
Age: 6 - 9
genre/subject: children's fiction, picture book
Plot Summary: Syvester finds a magic pebble one day and realizes that if he wishes for something while holding the pebble, it will come true. As he walked home to show his family the new, magic pebble, he ran into a hungry lion. As he panicked, Sylvester wished he was a rock. And there he lay as a rock, through the winter. One day, in the springtime, his parents forced themselves to take a picnic to try to cheer up as they were mourned the strange disappearance of their son. They found a lovely rock in a meadow, and as they set their food on the rock, they also place a pebble they found next to the rock on top of it. Sylvester wished he was his old self, and they were reunited!
Evaluation: Good story to teach the important of happiness and contentment in one's own life. It is a wordy picture book, so better for older children.
Significance & Bibliographic Usefulness: Illustrations are detailed. The text is more advanced.
Readalikes:
Awards/Lists: Caldecott Medal, 1970
Links to reviews in professional review sources
Hook: Be careful what you wish for!
Ideas, Uses: Talk about wishes during story hour. What would you wish for? Why is it important to be thankful for what you have?
ISBN: 978-0671662691
Page Count: 32
Format: hardcover, paperback, audio
Publisher: Aladdin; Reissue edition
No comments:
Post a Comment