It took me two days to finish this book!

Taking such a long time to read a children's book is truly frustrating. It didn't give me the feeling of being in a story from another world. In fact, it seemed rather bland to me. I suppose it wasn't the most opportune time for me to read it, and thus I didn't enjoy this story as much as it perhaps deserved.

The truth is that there's nothing overly exciting that occurs. It's just about the day-to-day life on the farm. It's a story about a peaceful and quiet life, friendship, kindness, and companionship. For an adult, it can be a bit boring and drawn out. This is the risk one takes when reading children's stories as an adult.

Nevertheless, I must emphasize that the book does展现 a beautiful friendship that endures despite differences and the passage of time. It teaches, in a tender way, the cycle of life and death. It's good that younger children start to learn about these concepts in a friendly and easily understandable manner.

I liked that the author chose a spider as a co-star because they are usually regarded as "bad" animals. The rest of the animals are somewhat unappealing, and Wilbur is too superficial. Precisely, the only character that one can appreciate is Charlotte.

Maybe one day I'll give the movie adaptation a try.

Charlotte's Web, E.B. White

A girl named Fern saves a pig named Wilbur from certain death. However, she is well aware that the pig will ultimately be slaughtered for its meat. On Uncle Homer's farm, Wilbur encounters a spider named Charlotte.

Charlotte devises a clever plan to save Wilbur from the impending doom that awaits him. She weaves words on her nets that describe Wilbur with extraordinary qualities. This catches the attention of people from nearby farms and villages, and they come in droves to see the remarkable pig. Eventually, Wilbur participates in a contest at the county fair and emerges as the winner.

Charlotte, on the other hand, sacrifices her own strength by continuously weaving the nets. As a result, she begins to weaken. But her selfless act of saving Wilbur leaves a lasting impact on everyone.

Charlotte's Web is a beloved children's novel written by American author E. B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams. It was first published on October 15, 1952, by Harper & Brothers. The story is told in a tender and beautiful prose, teaching children the values of loyalty, friendship, and integrity.

The first reading date was August 31, 1972. The book has been translated into many languages, including Persian by Mehshid Amirshahi. It has been published in several editions in Iran, with different publishers and page numbers.

The story of Fern, Wilbur, and Charlotte has touched the hearts of generations of readers and continues to be a classic in children's literature.

I have been acquainted with this story for a significant portion of my life. However, it is only now that I have finally read it.

Wilbur, the pig, is born as a runt. The farmer, seeing his small size, decides that he must meet the axe. Fortunately, kind-hearted little Fern intervenes and saves him. She takes care of the undersized pig, and later, Wilbur goes to a nearby farm. His life is almost idyllic until he discovers the fate that awaits him: he will likely become the next Christmas ham. Horrified, he frantically searches for a way to escape. His pleas for help are overheard by a large grey spider who is nearly invisible in the doorway. She decides to attempt to change the course of his destiny, but will she be successful?

The barnyard animals, although they display some human characteristics - Charlotte the spider can read and even has a smattering of Latin - still behave like the animals they are. The geese are noisy and silly, the rat is sly and greedy, the pig is good-natured and always hungry, and the spider, while kind, is also an opportunistic and bloodthirsty killer.

This story is about friendship, loyalty, and self-sacrifice. At times, it seems to verge on a sort of Victorian sentimentality, but it never quite does. This is because the author infuses the portrayal of both the animal and human characters with touches of humour and irony, making it a truly engaging and heartwarming tale.

**Title: The Beauty of [Book Name]**

The book [Book Name] is a true masterpiece. It takes readers on a captivating journey through a world filled with vivid characters and thrilling adventures.

The story unfolds in a seamless manner, keeping the reader hooked from the very first page. The author's writing style is engaging and descriptive, painting a detailed picture in the reader's mind.

The characters in the book are well-developed and relatable. Each one has their own unique personality and motives, which makes them come alive on the pages.

The plot is full of twists and turns, keeping the reader guessing until the very end. It is a story that will make you laugh, cry, and everything in between.

Overall, [Book Name] is a must-read for anyone who loves a good book. It is a beautiful and unforgettable story that will stay with you long after you have turned the last page.

Review to come—

My 8-year-old daughter read it and raved about it. Then, at 39 years old, I also read it. Can I be ashamed of myself for thinking that just because I saw the film, I didn't need to read the book?

Now, my 10-year-old son, who hates reading, is reading it and enjoying it. This says a lot about E. B. White and his animals. He takes the book to the commode, reads it before bed, and sits on the couch with it.

It's truly remarkable how this book has managed to capture the attention and hearts of both my children, despite their different ages and reading preferences. It makes me realize that sometimes, we adults can be too quick to dismiss the value of a book based on other adaptations.

I'm looking forward to writing a more detailed review once I've finished reading it myself and have had a chance to fully appreciate all the nuances and beauty that E. B. White has put into this story.

Until then, I highly recommend this book to anyone, regardless of age or reading ability. It's a classic that will surely touch your heart and leave you with a newfound appreciation for the power of words.

My mom got me a copy of this in a book fair and I truly loved it.

I vividly remember that when I was in grade school, I owned a copy of this wonderful book. Every year at Christmas time, I would have a little tiny tree in my room. It would be placed up on top of my dresser, all shiny and beautifully lit up.

We would leave the lights on at night, and I adored this. The reason was that it provided just enough light for me to be able to see and read by. This was indeed one of the coziest times of my childhood.

Every year during that special time, I would use the gentle light of my tiny tree to read this book. You see, I was a bit of a night owl, and this was the only time I could manage to stay up late without getting into trouble.

I have since obtained a hardback copy of the book, and a few Christmases ago, I read it by the light of a tiny tree that I placed in my room at my own place.

I truly hope to give my future kids a copy of this book and make sure they also have a little tree of their own and, of course, a book light. ;)

This is some book!

This well-known classic kids’ book is all it’s cracked up to be. Charlotte is the nicest, wisest spider you’ll ever meet. Wish I could think of sweet Charlotte the next time I see a creepy crawly spider, but I’m sure the memory of her will go right out the window and I’ll run for my life, as always!

Everyone should read this book. Well, probably every one has. But true confession here: When my teacher read the book to our class over a few weeks, my 8-year-old self daydreamed off every time! Yep, that’s me: the attention span of a shoo-fly! How did I do this, I want to know, since now, reading it more than 60 years later, I was completely captivated.

I guess I wanted to give back what I didn’t allow myself to receive way back when: an amazing, heart-wrenching read! So I read the book to Eliska, the 10-year-old I kid-sit for. She had liked the movie so was up for a read-aloud. I did NOT appreciate it when, half-way into the story, she proudly blurted out the sad ending. The stinker—she knew what she was doing and she just wanted to see my expression—which, of course, was pure shock and dismay. She thought she was hilarious; I wish she had gotten the memo on spoilers.

There’s so much good about this story about two friends: a spider, Charlotte, and a pig, Wilbur. Talking animals, quite a trip. There are stuttering geese; a wise-guy rat. The best part was Charlotte writing in her web, in the hope that she could save Wilbur. I loved the words she chose and how she acquired them. Tickled me to death—so ingenious! A good lesson in the power of words, the power of language. The first thing Charlotte wrote in the web was SOME PIG.

WARNING: The rest of this so-called review is just a true story about the drama (seriously, not important drama) that occurred while I read this book. Proceed if you want, but I won’t be insulted if you ignore it.

While I read, Eliska always does some craft. Once she made rubber-band earrings that could have mutilated my ears, but luckily she warned me, and I removed them the second I left the premises. This time, she decided to give me a tattoo. Oh, she did ask first, as she dangled the tattoo pens in my face. When I hesitated, she assured me that the tattoo would wash right off. I nodded okay, and she went to town on my wrist. I figured the tattoo would be the size of a dime, but as I read about the fate of Charlotte and Wilbur, I saw out of the corner of my eye that it was a multi-colored flower the size of a post-it note. Hm—that thing is BIG! I again asked if she was sure it would come off. This time her story changed a little. “Oh, in a couple of days, for sure,” she says. What??? It hits me that she has no idea whether it will come off! What have I let her do? Am I nuts? I subdued my freakout and kept my head inside Charlotte’s Web. How my reading voice stayed calm I do not know.

Eliska was done, and I have to say the tattoo was pretty. Next, she started going crazy painting her fingers with multi-colored stripes. At first I thought they looked cool, but then I started seeing them through a mom’s (her mom’s) eyes and I realized they were pretty ugly—loud and bright brass knuckles, except they didn’t cover just the knuckles. Every square inch of her fingers was soaked in marker pen. It suddenly occurred to me that maybe mom would not appreciate the fact that I let her kid write all over her hands. Maybe I was in deep doo-doo. I started getting antsy and I asked Eliska, “Are you SURE these wash off?” She promptly went and washed off one finger and returned. Huge blue spots like bruises were what remained. It looked like she had USED the brass knuckles, for crying out loud. She giggled nervously as I gasped. “Well, if you scrub it with one of those hard brushes that you wash dirty nails with, more will come off,” she said. Like this would reassure me. We all know those brushes are nasty! Scrubbing my old wrist might scrub off the skin for all I know. We’re talking pain. And where to find such a brush in the first place? I don’t have one lying around.

Freakout time! At this point I was more worried about Eliska’s painted fingers than my tattoo. What if her mom was furious? What kind of babysitter lets a kid drench her skin with ink? Maybe Eliska liked this new look so much that she’ll become a badass when she’s 18 and cover her body in tattoos. Her mom will blame me for sure—the babysitter with no sense, the babysitter who was too busy reading Charlotte’s Web to notice the kid ruining her soft, clear skin with ugly ink.

Aha moment: maybe I should have had Eliksa draw graffiti on me that said, SOME BABYSITTER. Maybe instead of her mom being mad at me for letting Eliska loose with tattoo pens, she’d be impressed. Just like the world was impressed that Charlotte had written SOME PIG and it had saved Wilbur’s life.

Yep, maybe a SOME BABYSITTER tattoo would save my job. I threw the idea out to Eliska, who was in the middle of deciding whether her next finger should have three or four stripes. She thought I was nuts—what was wrong with the beautiful flower she painted? Writing words wouldn’t be any fun! And come to think of it, it depends on how you interpret SOME BABYSITTER anyway. If you emphasize the “some,” you could mean “that was SOME babysitter, alright. She was a humdinger!” (i.e., bad). So maybe it was best that I didn’t steal Charlotte’s idea after all.

It was the dad who came home and I didn’t see him notice Eliska’s hands. You better believe I was glad that it wasn’t mom who walked in that door. But I never heard a word about it. No news is good news. Eliska must have had an easier time removing the ink than I had thought.

What about my tattoo? When I got home, I looked at it a lot but I didn’t try to remove it right away. I was afraid that if I did, I’d have a blue blob, like Eliska’s painted finger. I was trying to ignore it so that I’d chill. It didn’t help when my husband glanced at my arm and said, “What? You got a TATTOO?” No way I could pretend it never happened. I told him the story, adding, “It will wash right off,” though I didn’t for a second believe it. He was so excited, he took pictures and sent it out to our daughters, “Look, mom got a tattoo!” It horrified me that it looked that real. If the tattoo looks so real, does that mean it’s permanent? I kept telling myself that there was no way that Eliska’s mom would allow her to have permanent markers in the house, no way.

I fretted—should I wait a few days before I tried to wash it off? No, that would be torture. I needed to know now. So after a few hours, I tried. And damn if the tattoo, the beautiful tattoo, didn’t disappear—completely. No scrubbing necessary, and no blue blob in sight.

You know, I’ll always think of the tattoo whenever I think about Charlotte’s Web. That was some book. Wilbur was some pig. I was some babysitter.

I have read this book no less than three times, and each time, my perception of it has undergone a significant transformation.

The significance of this cannot be overstated. Just imagine how intricate and masterfully crafted a book must be if it can yield different interpretations at various junctures of one's life.

Here is a brief summary of my thoughts during each reading...

In 4th grade, my heart went out to poor Piggy! I was truly glad that he found a kind spider friend in Charlotte. However, I was deeply saddened when Charlotte died at the end! Despite that, my aversion to spiders persisted.

By 8th grade, I began to appreciate it as a rather profound exploration of growing up. It wasn't until then that I realized how Fern gradually spent less and less time with Wilbur as she matured.

As a junior in college, my perspective had shifted yet again. ARGH! I wondered why I had ever felt sorry for Wilbur. He came across as such a crybaby! And poor Charlotte, constantly burdened with taking care of the whiny Wilbur. I couldn't fault Fern at all for losing interest in her pet pig. (Regrettably, my distaste for the irritating pig prevented me from giving the book a higher rating. I encounter enough whining in my daily life; I certainly don't need to endure it from a fictional pig.)

***Wanda’s Summer Carnival of Children’s Literature***

I can vividly recall my grade one teacher, Doris Wright, enchanting us with the story of Charlotte’s Web, reading a chapter or two each day. I'm fairly certain there were some teary eyes when we reached the conclusion of that beautiful tale.
Oh boy, could I truly identify with the main human character, Fern. I grew up on a small farm similar to those described in the book (albeit without the work horses; tractors were the norm during my childhood), and it was mainly a hog farm. I was extremely familiar with the sweetness of baby pigs. In fact, whenever children came to visit, my mom would grab her camera and some old towels, and we'd head to the pig barn. She'd scoop up a piglet in a towel, hand it to a child, and capture the moment on film. That cute little round snout of a piglet is simply irresistible to a child. We have numerous photos of kids planting kisses right on the snout of piglets! However, for the most part, we didn't spend a great deal of time getting to know the pigs. They would be leaving after they were weaned, sold to farmers who would raise them to market weight. It wasn't a wise idea to get too attached.

I also had a spider phobia as a child (thankfully, it has lessened as I've grown older), and I do remember Charlotte serving as an example that I told myself about, attempting to convince myself that spiders weren't the terrifying creatures I had imagined them to be.

Just like Fern, I spent many joyous hours in the barn, observing chickens, pigs, cows, and horses. In fact, when I was around 3 years old, my uncle gave me some duck eggs and a Bantam hen to incubate them. She hatched four ducklings from the eggs (and was quite upset when her little ones went swimming in mud puddles), and those ducks lived for many years! They would stand and quack at us when we were playing baseball if they needed to cross the yard for some reason. When we paused the game, the ducks would quickly waddle across, as if they didn't want to delay the play for too long.

Farms have changed so significantly! Not only have horses been replaced by tractors, but the traditional mixed-use family farm is disappearing in favor of large, single-purpose farms. There are wheat farms, chicken farms, intensive hog farms, cattle feed lots, and so on. Fewer children have the opportunity to learn to milk cows, gather eggs, and weed gardens. I feel as though mine was a truly idyllic childhood, and I'm incredibly grateful that I grew up when I did.

Charlotte’s Web was a wonderful journey of nostalgia for me, bringing back all those precious childhood memories and details.

{spoilers ahead, but on the other hand, if you've seen the Disney movie, you should be ok}

FYI this review will NOT do this book justice. Maybe one day I'll spend a year writing a critical analysis titled "Why I Love Children's Literature" and use this book as its topic. Because it's really that good. I know some people don't get kid's books. But I have really found there to be no lack of word crafting, prose, strong characterization and voice, complexity of plot and presentation, or meaning in children's literature. There's so much crap out there for adults that I actually have an easier time finding good literature in the children's realm. /end rant

Wow. Reading this as an adult is quite a trip. I read it as a child and didn't remember it. I now see why this book keeps on winning the #1 Best Chapter Book polls year after year.

This starts sweet enough with a darling girl Ellie's age adopting a runt-ling pig and just turning it into a sweet little pet that ends up down the road at her uncle's farm. Sweet Fern and Wilbur. And then, it takes a little turn as the main character starts worrying about his future murder. I glanced over at Ellie to see how she's taking all the murder talk, and we're good. Phew.

Throughout reading, I'm struck by several things.

(1) The complexity of the characters. Wilbur is a simple character, but he really develops. Innocence and loyalty and ultimately devotion in return for sacrifice. The rest of the characters you expect to be sorted into Black and White. Even Charlotte is a bloodsucking killer who ends up sacrificing everything for someone else. If you stop and think about why the author chose a spider for a heroine. What is the human reaction to a spider? Especially for kids. This is a thing you've always thought as a bad thing that needs to be killed. What's the purpose of a blood-sucking hero in a children's book? Also, you figure if Mr. Zuckerman is planning on slaughtering our dear Wilbur he'd be the stock villain. But he's not. Fern's devotion turns to apathy. Mrs. Arable's hostility turns into admiration. Avery's reactions turn from bullying to pride. Templeton is a lazy, good-for-nothing, gluttonous, selfish rat who actually is the one that helps make Charlotte's miracles possible.

(2) Cycles and Nature. Have you ever wanted to live on a farm? After reading this book, you will. The turning season, the new goslings, and croaking frogs. {sigh} Cozy. And the miracles that occur in nature, have you ever thought and pondered how a spider knows how to spin a web without any instructions from anybody? What is a miracle? What deserves wonder from this human experience?

(3) Friendship. What does friendship mean? What do friends do? Well, we like each other; and because we like each other we do things for each other. What do friends expect in return? What role does sacrifice play?

"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."

This book is life and death, joy and sorrow, gain and loss. The writing is exquisite, the plot is pitch perfect, and NOW I know why the book is a classic. Literally amazing.

p.s. And I was dying - DYING - when Charlotte dies alone. Tears were shed - many tears were shed. According to Ellie, this book makes "my eyes turn black."

What a beloved classic it is!

This is one of my all-time favorites. It tells such a magical story of love and acceptance that is based on the inside. The relationship between Charlotte and Wilbur is truly heartwarming. They, along with the other zany characters, make for an incredible cast that brings the story to life.

It is a great children's book that not only entertains but also teaches important values. The vivid descriptions and engaging plot keep readers of all ages hooked from beginning to end.

Whether you're a child or an adult, this book is sure to touch your heart and leave you with a sense of wonder and joy. It's a timeless classic that will be cherished for generations to come.

Wilbur is the tiniest piglet in the litter and is on the verge of being put to death. However, Fern, the farmer's kind-hearted daughter, saves him from the axe and decides to raise him on her own. As Wilbur starts to grow, Fern has to give him up to her uncle to take care of. At the uncle's farm, Wilbur meets Charlotte, an intelligent and worldly spider. Charlotte takes it upon herself to save Wilbur's life once again.

Now, let's be honest. I know this book is targeted at children aged 6 to around 11. But even when I tried to read it from a child's perspective, I was extremely bored by this so-called "classic". Wilbur's constant neediness and whining are really annoying. We're supposed to root for him, but it's not easy. And there's hardly any story here.

Charlotte spins the words "Some Pig" on her cobweb above Wilbur's pen. The farmer sees it and believes it's a special sign, so he decides not to kill Wilbur. The pig then becomes a local celebrity. Over the weeks, Charlotte spins a few more words into her web, and the simple-minded people are impressed. A moment of cheap sentimentality later, and the book is over.

180 pages! This book drags on and on with nothing but words in a cobweb happening! It should have been at most half that length. As an adult reader, I can endure some boring books, but Charlotte's Web is really a bad example. As a child, I wouldn't have had the patience for EB White's tedium. That's why I didn't read this book until well after my childhood. And even with very low standards and trying to read it as a less intelligent little person, this book still wasn't good. What child would be fascinated by such monotonous rubbish?

I do appreciate that it deals with important themes like friendship and death quite well, and White tries to make us notice the wonderful things around us that we usually take for granted. It's not the words in the web that are amazing, but the web itself. I understand that.

But as a child, I read to be entertained and amazed. Books by Roald Dahl, Raymond Briggs, Lewis Carroll, Beatrix Potter, Dr Seuss, Brian Jacques, Oscar Wilde, and Maurice Sendak had stories that did just that. They were outstanding because of their limitless imagination and powerful storytelling, with interesting things actually happening!

Charlotte's Web can't compare to the works of any of those writers. I highly recommend looking up those writers instead of EB White. His dull book is good for bedtime reading, though, as it'll put the kids to sleep in no time!