Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig is the story of a young donkey named Sylvester who collects unique looking pebbles. One day Sylvester finds a round red pebble that magically grants wishes. When he gets frightened, he wishes himself into a rock out of fear--but then realizes he cannot wish himself back into his donkey self as the magic pebble fell off of his rock self. Sylvester's parents quickly realize he's missing and go out and look for him. While there are moments of feeling lost, ultimately all ends up well.
Oh I can still feel my childhood self's worry but also hopeful curiosity as this tale unfolded. I felt Sylvester's and his parents' worry so much, but also had faith that all will be well. While this may seem a simple thing to do to some, I assure you it is not. Writing age-appropriate perils can be a tricky road to walk. It's easy to make dangers seem too frightening or simply not a problem at all.
The illustrations are also lovely in a complementary way. Their tone perfectly matches that of the prose and they give young readers enough to look at while not being overwhelming.
I highly recommend this classic.
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