- a donkey finds a magic pebble but accidentally misuses it
- his parents spend months mourning
“Life had no meaning for them anymore” without Sylvester. - all are eventually reunited and the family restored
- convo topics: magic, hopeless living*
Type: picture book
Ages: 5-8
Author: William Steig
*It was, of course, heartbreakingly sad for the parents to lose their son, but what’s sadder is that they had no other hope to which to cling. Even in the most tragic of circumstances, God is our everlasting hope! But I digress…
As far as the magic is concerned, a small pebble can cause wishes to come true. The power is never abused in this story.
A moral of the story is that no wishes can improve on what you already have–family/relationships.
Lastly, I would recommend a pre-read on this one. I’ve understood it’s bothered many children, but then there are others who like it–hence the recommendation.