Steig, William. 1969. A BALL FOR DAISY. Ill. by William Steig. New
York, NY: Windmill Books/Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0671665111
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Sylvester Duncan is a young Donkey who likes to
collect pebbles. One day Sylvester goes exploring outside and finds a red
pebble. Sylvester discovers that when he makes a wish while holding the red
pebble, the wish comes true. He enjoys making several wishes until he runs into
a lion. Sylvester is so scared he can think of nothing else but to wish that he
would turn into a rock so that the lion will not disturb him. The power of the
magic pebble grants this wish. However, once Sylvester is a rock he realizes he
can no longer make a wish while holding the pebble.
Days and weeks pass by and the whole town helps Sylvester's parents search for him. Finally, his parents decide to have a picnic near the rock that is actually their son. The magic red pebble is nearby, and Sylvester's mother makes a wish that her son would return. Sylvester magically appears as a donkey once again, thanks to the power of the magic pebble.
Days and weeks pass by and the whole town helps Sylvester's parents search for him. Finally, his parents decide to have a picnic near the rock that is actually their son. The magic red pebble is nearby, and Sylvester's mother makes a wish that her son would return. Sylvester magically appears as a donkey once again, thanks to the power of the magic pebble.
3. CRITICAL
ANALYSIS
This
book appears to be intended for a younger audience that would likely enjoy
hearing it as a read aloud. The characters' personification makes them easy to
relate to. The plot follows a fairly steady pace through the point of
Sylvester's disappearance. Plot momentum is lost when no one is able to find
Sylvester and the seasons begin to change. Thankfully, a resolution is just
around the corner at the spring time picnic. The theme of this book is based on
the idea that the power of magic can quickly lose its appeal when one is
missing out on family or being with loved ones.
Steig's
use of vivid, bright colors make the illustrations appealing to the reader. The
use of muted tones help convey scenes of disappointment and sadness. The
illustrations supplement the text by providing detailed images that enhance the
reader's understanding of the plot. The illustrations also contribute to the
description of the setting of the story. The book begins in a small family room
of a home and transitions outdoors, specifically to Strawberry Hill. The use
of varying colors helps the reader to determine the passing of time and changing
of seasons.
4. PERSONAL
RESPONSE: STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
A strength
of this book was that it was easy to sympathize with Sylvester's character. Steig's illustrations successfully portray Sylvester's emotions
through facial expressions and body language. One weakness that concerned me was
the slightly depressing turn of events in the plot when Sylvester's parents
seem to have given up and resigned to the fact that their son is gone. I feel
some children might be bothered that there was not more Sylvester's
parents could do to find him.
5. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Caldecott Medal Winner 1970 (ALSC)
Caldecott Medal Winner 1970 (ALSC)
"That strange
little story of magic, loss, and recovery strikes a deep chord in the hearts
and minds of children and parents everywhere." (SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL)
"William Steig's pearly colors, one of
the prettiest" (KIRKUS REVIEWS)
6. CONNECTIONS
*Students
can bring their own special pebble and write a story about its magical powers.
*Share
another book by William Steig, such as DOCTOR DESOTO (ISBN 0374418101), and compare/contrast illustrations.
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