Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
by William Steig · Grades K–3 · Juvenile Fiction
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig is on US reading lists at grades k–3. It appears on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists, across 1 state. Every citation below links to the primary source.
Before you buy: Grades K–3 · 36 pages. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9781416918578). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.
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Assigned across 2 curriculum lists · 1 state
Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).
This page shows where Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
Reading level at a glance
- Grade range
- Grades K–3
- Pages
- 36
- Reading time
- about 40 minutes (est.)
- First published
- 1969
- Genre
- Juvenile Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9781416918578
Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-09-04; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.
Good fit for kindergarten?
If you have read it with a child or a class in this grade, tell other parents and teachers. One tap, no account.
New to these terms? Reading levels by grade · What is the Caldecott Medal?
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About this book
Book facts and sources (2)
- Award won
- Caldecott Medal, 1970 (source: Wikipedia)
- On award reading lists
- Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Book Award (source: sites.google.com)
- Catalog record
- First published 1969 · 36 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)
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Why it is assigned
This juvenile fiction title is typically read at grades k–3. Written in the 1960s; cited on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists.
Where this book is recommended
Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Book Award
- recommended·Kindergarten grade · Alabamasource: Winner, Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Book Award 1982, grades K-1. Given by the Alabama State Department of Education, Library Media. Winner (not nominee); verified against the award archive 2026-09-04.
- recommended·1st grade · Alabamasource: Winner, Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Book Award 1982, grades K-1. Given by the Alabama State Department of Education, Library Media. Winner (not nominee); verified against the award archive 2026-09-04.
Caldecott Medal
- recommended·Kindergarten gradesource: Caldecott Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1970 Caldecott Medal winner
- recommended·1st gradesource: Caldecott Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1970 Caldecott Medal winner
- recommended·2nd gradesource: Caldecott Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1970 Caldecott Medal winner
- recommended·3rd gradesource: Caldecott Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1970 Caldecott Medal winner
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Common questions
- What grade level is Sylvester and the Magic Pebble?
- Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is listed for grades K–3. It appears on 2 book-award lists across 1 state. Exact placement varies by school and district.
- How long does it take to read Sylvester and the Magic Pebble?
- It takes about 40 minutes to read Sylvester and the Magic Pebble (36 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 40 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- What curricula assign Sylvester and the Magic Pebble?
- Sylvester and the Magic Pebble appears on reading lists for Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Book Award, Caldecott Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Sylvester and the Magic Pebble banned in schools?
- Sylvester and the Magic Pebble does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
Why this book is on this list
How we classifyHide
Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.
- Lexile measure
- Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
- Grade band
- Grades K–3 — drawn from the book-award lists citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 2 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- On state book-award lists in 1 state (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: award-winner, book-club.