Reviews - Charlotte's Web | The StoryGraph

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3.85k reviews for:

This has held up beautifully and the ending made me weep, much like the first time I read it 40 years ago. My kid loved it and especially liked that E.B. White defines more complex vocabulary words right after using them as a seamless part of the story. The audio full cast is incredible and Meryl Streep's narration was perfect.

zachlittrell's review against another edition

5.0

"Why did you do all this for me? " he asked. "I don't deserve it. I've never done anything for you."

"You have been my friend," replied Charlotte. "That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what's a life, anyway? We're born, we live a little while, we die. A spider's life can't help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone's life can stand a little of that."

I just about broke down in tears out in public when I heard this. Over a damn spider and her pig friend.

White is the perfect narrator for his own work. A gentle, earnest, crackling older voice that brings to life a whole barnyard. A barnyard where animals have warm and vibrant personalities, that only a little girl like Fern can really appreciate. The way he read Charlotte made me think of my aunts, ladies filled with patience, love, and keen senses of snarky humor.

"Does anybody here know how to spell 'terrific'?"
"I think," said the gander, "it's tee double ee double rr double rr double eye double ff double eye double see see see see see."
"What kind of an acrobat do you think I am?" said Charlotte in disgust.

The only villain is the facts of life, and it's talked about with sincere honesty. I can't think of any children's book that has the chutzpah to describe, with startling accuracy, how depression looks and feels:

When he tired of this, he walked indoors, climbed to the top of the manure pile, and sat down. He didn't feel like going to sleep, he didn't feel like digging, he was tired of standing still, tired of lying down. "I'm less than two months old and I'm tired of living," he said. He walked out to the yard again.

Which drives home just how wonderful it really is to have the love of a good friend like that damn spider, Charlotte.

nessapier's review against another edition

3.0

This book is a little hard for kids to get through, I read it aloud to my two children and there is too much detail for kids. So much talk about the weather and not enough fun. There was so much more dialogue or fun conversation to be had with the barn yard animals that were created, but it didn’t happen much. Wilbur also was so whiny and such a baby with all the crying and fainting all the time. Charlotte was beautiful and a great character though.

annabethie's review against another edition

5.0

There is no better theme in literature than the one in this book--love, deserved, even to the point of saving a life. The ultimate story of this world through Christ and how we also should be. Beautiful.

“Why did you do all this for me?' he asked. 'I don't deserve it. I've never done anything for you.'
'You have been my friend,' replied Charlotte. 'That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what's a life, anyway? We're born, we live a little while, we die. A spider's life can't help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone's life can stand a little of that.”

bethlrodgers's review against another edition

5.0

I knew the story of Charlotte, Wilbur, and Fern, but I had never read it fully. I really enjoyed how the book truly captured childhood innocence yet mixed in issues that adults have to deal with. Happiness, sadness, sympathy, and empathy are all a part of this wonderful tale about the pig, Wilbur, and how Charlotte, his spider friend, tries to save him through any means necessary. Not only are the issues of life and death tackled, but also the issues of loneliness, the true value of friendship, and how even those you might think are your enemies (or at least not very nice and close friends) can be there for you in a pinch (like Templeton the rat). You'll feel as though you know each of the animals even more than you feel you know Fern, her family, and her aunt and uncle who run the farm where the animals are kept. This is a wonderful and influential story for readers young and old. It is a delightful and emotional read that you are bound to love.

livinglifewithhanna's review against another edition

4.0

I mean, yes, this is a children's book. But I loved it!

tracyjw66's review against another edition

5.0

I just read this, for the millionth time, with a young student who never had. It was so fun and weird, and I'd forgotten how funny it was. It's funny how our allergies really kicked up at the end of the book and had us both sniffling. ;-)