Scan barcode
briandemarco_97's review
5.0
While spending time with my girlfriend and her 2 year old son, we let him have the Netflix remote and he came across the Charlotte's Web movie from the 70s. Watching reminded me of reading the book as a child, something I had almost forgotten about. Charlotte's Web is one of the best children's books ever written, and every child with a love of reading will no doubt love it.
One thing that all great children's literature has in common is that it doesn't talk down to its audience. Too many people treat children as just dumb humans, but they are smarter than we give them credit for, with imaginations and creativity that surpasses a lot of adults. They have an astounding ability to understand more than we know. White does not ever talk down to his audiencez and nowhere is this more evident than the ending. Charlotte's Web could have taken the easy way out and had Wilbur and Charlotte live happily ever after, but E.B. White was smarter than that, and he knew that his audience was smarter than that. Death is a major theme in this book, and White knew that children can be made to understand it. The way he handles Charlotte's death at the end of the book was masterfully done.
If you do one thing for your child in their life, give them this book while they're young. Or read it yourself if you haven't. A good children's book can be enjoyed by all, and the best ones have something to say to adults as well as kids.
One thing that all great children's literature has in common is that it doesn't talk down to its audience. Too many people treat children as just dumb humans, but they are smarter than we give them credit for, with imaginations and creativity that surpasses a lot of adults. They have an astounding ability to understand more than we know. White does not ever talk down to his audiencez and nowhere is this more evident than the ending. Charlotte's Web could have taken the easy way out and had Wilbur and Charlotte live happily ever after, but E.B. White was smarter than that, and he knew that his audience was smarter than that. Death is a major theme in this book, and White knew that children can be made to understand it. The way he handles Charlotte's death at the end of the book was masterfully done.
If you do one thing for your child in their life, give them this book while they're young. Or read it yourself if you haven't. A good children's book can be enjoyed by all, and the best ones have something to say to adults as well as kids.
fatimaaislinn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
erine's review
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
It has been decades since I last read this story.
The combination of scientific detail and fantasy is truly magical. As Charlotte composes her messages, she talks about the different kinds of thread she uses, and how she doesn’t want to use the sticky trap thread for letters or bugs will get stuck and spoil it. White weaves his deep appreciation of the natural world into the very fabric of the story: “When the words appeared, everyone said they were a miracle. But nobody pointed out that the web itself is a miracle.” In every description of the barnyard animals White’s keen observation and understanding are on display.
Aside from the natural world, I’m adoring the characterization of Charlotte. She’s unapologetically who she is, but also intelligent and empathetic. And Wilbur is twice lucky to have Fern, who saves him first, and then Charlotte who ensures his further survival as a creature who deserves to have a life. Friendship is the highlight throughout this story, and Wilbur reaps most of the benefit, which is a great opportunity to consider what makes a good friend.
Charlotte the Spider Notes:
“Do you want a friend?”
“Salutations!”
“My name… is Charlotte A. Cavatica.”(Araneus Cavaticus/Barn Spider)
“I love blood.”
“My legs are hairy for good reason… Furthermore, each leg of mine has seven sections—the coxa, the trochanter, the femur, the patella, the tibia, the metatarsus, and the tarsus.”
“I’m glad I’m a sedentary spider.”
“I was just thinking that people are very gullible.”
🕸️ SOME PIG 🕸️
“People believe almost anything they see in print.”
🕸️TERRIFIC🕸️
🕸️RADIANT🕸️
“Bring me back a word.”
🕸️HUMBLE🕸️
“It is my egg sac, my magnum opus.” (514 eggs)
“You have been my friend… That in itself is a tremendous thing.”
lunaseline's review
4.0
Den här recensionen (alltså versionen som påbörjas/pågår i mitt huvud medan jag läser) börjar med ett enda stort underväldigande.
Här har vi barnboken varenda amerikansk författare nämner som viktigt och vis, och jag får tvinga mig att ta mig igenom sidor som beskriver en bondgård...? Jag ger nästan upp en tredjedel in, men boken är lite för kort (och lite för klassisk) för det.
Och så smyger det sig sakta på. Först kommer de där "blinkningar till vuxna läsare"-detaljerna som höjer boken från en två till en trea. Några är faktiskt lite roliga (och jag tror att det är medvetet och inte bara 50-tals-oironiskhet). Och sen blir det ju faktiskt ganska fint också, hela Charlotte-Wilbur-grejen.
Jag är liiite tveksam till 1) Fern / Avery-uppdelningen i så flick/pojkigt (men igen, jag tror några skämt kring det är smått medvetna, 50-tal till trots) och 2) slutordet som Charlotte väljer (men jag är uppvuxen under en era då ett sådant ord var i princip förbjudet om man skulle bli nåt i livet).
Summa summarum: det hade väl typ rätt, alla som lyfte boken.
P.s. Är du rädd för spindlar eller råttor rekommenderar jag den lite extra, borde lösa saken. D.s.
Här har vi barnboken varenda amerikansk författare nämner som viktigt och vis, och jag får tvinga mig att ta mig igenom sidor som beskriver en bondgård...? Jag ger nästan upp en tredjedel in, men boken är lite för kort (och lite för klassisk) för det.
Och så smyger det sig sakta på. Först kommer de där "blinkningar till vuxna läsare"-detaljerna som höjer boken från en två till en trea. Några är faktiskt lite roliga (och jag tror att det är medvetet och inte bara 50-tals-oironiskhet). Och sen blir det ju faktiskt ganska fint också, hela Charlotte-Wilbur-grejen.
Jag är liiite tveksam till 1) Fern / Avery-uppdelningen i så flick/pojkigt (men igen, jag tror några skämt kring det är smått medvetna, 50-tal till trots) och 2) slutordet som Charlotte väljer (men jag är uppvuxen under en era då ett sådant ord var i princip förbjudet om man skulle bli nåt i livet).
Summa summarum: det hade väl typ rätt, alla som lyfte boken.
P.s. Är du rädd för spindlar eller råttor rekommenderar jag den lite extra, borde lösa saken. D.s.
letiziajurado0603's review against another edition
3.0
Este libro ha sido lo más entrañable y precioso que he leído en mucho tiempo, te deja el corazón calentito. Nuevo libro infantil redescubierto y favorito ✨️
ashlee_franklin_'s review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
natalie_ayerdis's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
toebean5's review
3.0
Seriously, guys... doing a feminist reading of this has kind of ruined it for me.
cornmaven's review
3.0
Very 1950s style of writing, but it makes a good vocabulary builder and model of solid sentence structure. The pace is a little too calm for me, Fern is kind of a cardboard kind of character, and the whole "she acts so queer" never really goes anywhere. One can clearly see that given its original publication date, fewer kids will relate well to farm life, with its pragmatic acceptance of death and the cycle of nature. And if modern readers want to be well informed, they need to be told that pigs are not fed slop anymore.
Charlotte, of course, is a very strong character. I had always heard that she sacrificed herself for Wilbur, but that apparently is not the case. I also like Templeton. Wilbur did nothing for me, he was too pathetic and wimpy. His only saving grace was his ability to figure out Templeton's motivation.
Just not my kind of novel, but others may like it.
Charlotte, of course, is a very strong character. I had always heard that she sacrificed herself for Wilbur, but that apparently is not the case. I also like Templeton. Wilbur did nothing for me, he was too pathetic and wimpy. His only saving grace was his ability to figure out Templeton's motivation.
Just not my kind of novel, but others may like it.