Module 3-Caldecott Winners

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Steig, W. (1971). Sylvester and the magic pebble. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Summary

Sylvester collects unusual rocks, and one day he finds one that makes wishes come true!  He heads back home to show his parents, and when trying to hide from a hungry lion, he wishes that he were a rock.  He spends the next year as a rock in the middle of a field.  His parents end up having a picnic on him and his dad finds the magic pebble.  He places it on the rock as he eats and without knowing it is there Sylvester wishes he were a real donkey again.  He turns back in to himself and the family is reunited!  They put the magic pebble in a safe to maybe use when they need it in the future.

Impression

I used this book in a storytime with kindergartners and they loved it.  They were studying rocks in science at the time, so they were able to really connect.  We had a great discussion about what their parents would feel like if they went missing.  This book has some rather large words in it for kindergartners, but it did not totally interrupt the flow of the book nor impede comprehension.  Overall it was great to use and every student loved it.

Review

It's hard to believe that 30 years have passed since Sylvester held his magic pebble and turned himself into a rock. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, published in 1969, won the Caldecott Medal in 1970 and remains a favorite of children and adults. Author/illustrator William Steig, who has been in children's book publishing for roughly 35 years, shows no signs of stopping. Steig has published over 30 children's books, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble selling 500,000 copies alone. In fact, just last year Steig and his wife Jeanne worked together on A Handful of Beans, which was recognized by the New York Times as Best Illustrated Book.

Sylvester's humorous illustrations of fully dressed farm animals conducting daily business upright are set against the simple and endearing text. Simon &and Schuster has issued special anniversary editions of Sylvester with a 30th Anniversary bellyband on the hardcover and 30th Anniversary burst on the paperback. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble was recognized by the California Teachers' Association as one of the 100 Best Books of the Century. The good news is that Sylvester will continue to delight young readers for centuries to come.

Annclaude, A. (1999, August). Sylvester and the magic pebble review. Bookpage. Retrieved from http://bookpage.com/review/sylvester-and-the-magic-pebble-hardcover/sylvester-and-the-magic-pebble-review

Library Use

This book is great for a kindergarten or first grade storytime to tie in to a science unit on rocks.  It could also be used to go with a "be careful what you wish for" theme, or to talk about thinking before you speak or act.

Lon Po Po:  A Red-Riding Hood Story from China

Young, E. (1990). Lon Po Po: A red-riding hood story from China. New York: Philomel.

 Summary

The traditional fairy tale of Red Riding Hood is presented in its form from China.  Some differences emerge, such as the presence of three sisters as the main characters, and that they hide in a tree to stay away from the wolf, but overall the moral and theme of the story remains the same.

Impression

I love knowing that versions of the same story date back to before the time where people continents apart could communicate.  This is a beautifully illustrated version of Red Riding Hood and students are able to make connections to the tale that they are familiar with.

Review

Gr 1-5-- A gripping variation on Red Riding Hood that involves three little sisters who outsmart the wolf ( lon or long in Cantonese) who has gained entry to their home under the false pretense of being their maternal grandmother ( Po Po ). The clever animal blows out the candle before the children can see him , and is actually in bed with them when they start asking the traditional ``Why, Grandma!'' questions. The eldest realizes the truth and tricks the wolf into letting them go outside to pick gingko nuts , and then lures him to his doom. The text possesses that matter-of-fact veracity that characterizes the best fairy tales. The watercolor and pastel pictures are remarkable: mystically beautiful in their depiction of the Chinese countryside, menacing in the exchanges with the wolf, and positively chilling in the scenes inside the house. Overall, this is an outstanding achievement that will be pored over again and again.--John Philbrook, San Francisco Pub . Lib .

Philbrook, J (1989). The book review. School Library Journal. 35(16).

Library Use
This book could be presented or displayed in a cultural unit to represent stories that come from China.  It could also be used to compare and contrast different versions of stories.