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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
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!
This classic children’s read is sure to bring a smile to your face and stir your heart with its simple message of caring for others.
A newborn pig, unfortunate to be the runt of the litter is saved from sure slaughter by the farmer’s daughter, Fern, pleading for his life. She names him Wilbur and visits him daily even after he is sold to the neighboring farm. There he meets Templeton the Rat, geese, sheep and becomes lifelong friends with Charlotte the spider. After overhearing that he is to be slaughtered for the holidays, Wilbur’s destiny is forever changed by the selfless work of Charlotte who uses her ability to spin a web into creating works of art and pronouncements of the greatness of Wilbur.
A newborn pig, unfortunate to be the runt of the litter is saved from sure slaughter by the farmer’s daughter, Fern, pleading for his life. She names him Wilbur and visits him daily even after he is sold to the neighboring farm. There he meets Templeton the Rat, geese, sheep and becomes lifelong friends with Charlotte the spider. After overhearing that he is to be slaughtered for the holidays, Wilbur’s destiny is forever changed by the selfless work of Charlotte who uses her ability to spin a web into creating works of art and pronouncements of the greatness of Wilbur.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
I read the hardcover 50th Anniversary Retrospective Edition of Charlotte's Web, worth noting for the Afterword that tells the story of E.B. White. I enjoyed learning that E.B. White grew up in Mt Vernon, NY, just a few towns south of where I live. And I discovered, after reading about him on wikipedia, that he is the "White" of Strunk & White, authors of "The Elements of Style". Live and learn.
This is my very first reading of Charlotte's Web, believe it or not. While it may be a children's classic, I only knew the story from seeing it performed, and decided it was high time to read it. One reason I wanted to read it was to get a sense of whether or not it is a book that can be read aloud to my 4.5 year old granddaughter. It is. :-)
A children's classic, yes. And, as with children's classics, this means it is a classic for any age, adults included!
This is my very first reading of Charlotte's Web, believe it or not. While it may be a children's classic, I only knew the story from seeing it performed, and decided it was high time to read it. One reason I wanted to read it was to get a sense of whether or not it is a book that can be read aloud to my 4.5 year old granddaughter. It is. :-)
A children's classic, yes. And, as with children's classics, this means it is a classic for any age, adults included!