Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Infobox Book
name = Sylvester and the Magic Pebble


image_caption =
author = William Steig
illustrator = William Steig
cover_artist =
country = United States
genre = Children's picture book
publisher = Windmill Books
release_date = 1969
media_type =
pages =
isbn = ISBN 0671662694

"Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" is a children's picture book written and illustrated by William Steig. It won him the Caldecott Medal (1970), his first of many and Caldecott and Newbery Medal honors.American Library Association: [http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/caldecottmedal/caldecottwinners/caldecottmedal.htm Caldecott Medal Winners, 1938 - Present] . URL accessed April 9, 2007.] It tells the tale of a donkey from Oatsdale, Sylvester, who collects pebbles "of unusual shape and color." One day he happens to come across a pebble that grants wishes. Immediately afterward, a lion scares Sylvester, and as a defense he wishes himself into a rock, the only thing he could think of at the moment. The rest of the story deals with the resulting aftermath: Sylvester's personal attempt to change back into his true self and his parents' search for their only son.

The book raised controversy among several school districts and organizations for its satirical portrayal of the police as pigs, and as a result was banned in parts of the United States. [cite web|url=http://www.banned-books.com/bblistj-z.html |title=Banned Books |accessdate= |accessmonthday=July 6 |accessyear=2006 |author= |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher= |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate=]

References