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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
I feel kind of bad for not having read this book until now. The writing and the story is beautifully simple, full of love. I highly recommend this book.
It seems unnecessary to review this excellent children's classic. Surely everyone who reads it feels delight in the fun of it and warmed by the philosophy of kindness represented by Charlotte. I like how White puts in a word about the rarity of great writers, and he is certainly entitled. I have this fear that the great Garth Williams cover will be displaced by some horrible version from the terrible-looking live action film.
Fun story with lovable characters that contemplate friendship, life, and death. Doesn't expand much beyond the beloved animated movie. My daughter loved this and laughed at several moments in the story.
Read this aloud to the boys. They loved it and once again Charlotte just broke my dang heart. My kids were... unmoved.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.2 Stars
One Liner: So beautiful!
A little girl, Fern, lives with her family on a farm. When her father plans to kill the weakest runt, she rescues and adopts him. This runt, Wilbur, grows up to be a shy and sweet pig, making friends with other animals on the farm. When Wilbur’s fate hangs on a thread, his best friend, Charlotte, the spider, decides to save him no matter the cost.
The story comes in omnipresent POV.
My Thoughts:
I’ve heard a lot about this book but haven’t read it (or watched the movie). Recently, I found a secondhand copy at a book fair and bought it. Well, no point in waiting now, right?
Though the book undoubtedly belongs to Charlotte, I have to talk about Fern, the little girl who ensures Wilbur gets a second chance at life. She is an adorable darling with sweetness and sensitivity. Her love for Wilbur shines almost throughout. Though she ‘sells’ Wilbur to her uncle, she makes it a point to visit him and spend as much time as possible with her lovely pet.
Even in the beginning, she is such a cute and innocent pet parent, feeding Wilbur milk from the bottle, letting him sleep in her doll’s pram when he is tired, clapping and cheering at his antics in the barn, etc.
Wilbur’s network widens after he moves to Fern’s uncle’s barn. He makes new friends with the geese, gander, cows, sheep, and of course, Charlotte. Still, he loves Fern and misses her when she doesn’t visit him due to bad weather. After all, she is the only parent he has known!
Now, Charlotte is the queen and the hero of the book. Why not? She is the best! However, I could say she is like Fern but smarter despite her tiny size. Both Charlotte and Fern adopt Wilbur in their own ways. The little piggy sure triggered their protective instincts!
Avery is another fun addition. I couldn’t stop thinking about how today’s parents would react to his antics. The lad had a lovely carefree farm life; that much I’d say. Here, I also have to mention Dr. Dorian, who has a wonderful perspective.
The dialogues are super fun, especially the repetitions. Kids will love it! The ending is a bit sad but still heartwarming. The illustrations are great too!
To summarize, Charlotte’s Web is a beautiful story about a little piggy who becomes a darling pet to a young girl and then to a spider with a brave heart and a clever brain.
One of my most cherished stories. I adore this book.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Sweet book of love and acceptance.
March 2020...
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Meryl Streep and just loved it. All of the voice actors are wonderful and it added to my walk down memory lane with one of my favorite books. I cried when I read it as a young girl. I cried when I read it with my kids. I cried reading it now and I'm sure I'll cry when I read it with my grandkids - whenever that will be!
March 2020...
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Meryl Streep and just loved it. All of the voice actors are wonderful and it added to my walk down memory lane with one of my favorite books. I cried when I read it as a young girl. I cried when I read it with my kids. I cried reading it now and I'm sure I'll cry when I read it with my grandkids - whenever that will be!