Charlotte's Web by E.B. White is a heartwarming story about a pig named Wilbur, who forms an unlikely friendship with a spider named Charlotte. The plot revolves around Wilbur's journey from being a runt pig to becoming a beloved member of the farm, with the help of Charlotte who saves him from being slaughtered. Through the characters of Wilbur, Charlotte, and the young girl Fern, the book explores themes of friendship, compassion, and the circle of life. The writing style is engaging and accessible, making it a timeless tale that appeals to readers of all ages.
In Charlotte's Web, E.B. White beautifully weaves a narrative that delves into deep and complex human emotions, such as love, friendship, and loss. The story not only captivates young readers but also imparts valuable life lessons about the importance of friendship and standing up for others. Through the interactions of the talking animals and the emotional depth of the characters, the book teaches children about empathy, compassion, and the enduring power of true friendship.
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From The Publisher:
Brought to life by Meryl Streep and a full cast, this beloved book by E. B. White, author of Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan, is a classic of children's literature that is "just about perfect."*
Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spider web tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.
E. B. White's Newbery Honor Book is a tender novel of friendship, love, life, and death that will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come.
Narrated by Meryl Streep
featuring:
January LaVoy as CHARLOTTE
Kirby Heyborne as WILBUR
MacLeod Andrews as TEMPLETON
with additional performances by:
Mark Bramhall as LURVY
Scott Brick as THE MINISTER
Cassandra Campbell as EDITH ZUCKERMAN
Danny Campbell as HOMER ZUCKERMAN
Mark Deakins as MR. ARABLE
Kimberly Farr as MRS. ARABLE
Tavia Gilbert as THE GOOSE
Dion Graham as THE GANDER
Almarie Guerra as NELLIE
Johnny Heller as THE FAIR ANNOUNCER
Lincoln Hoppe as AVERY
Raymond Lee as THE BABY SPIDER
Robin Miles as THE OLD SHEEP
Adenrele Ojo as ARANEA
Ray Porter as UNCLE THE PIG
Emily Rankin as FERN
John Rubinstein as DR. DORIAN
Bahni Turpin as THE LAMB
Julia Whelan as JOY
*New York Times
Ratings (218)
Incredible (38) | |
Loved It (77) | |
Liked It (62) | |
It Was OK (36) | |
Did Not Like (4) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (318):
Read It (255) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (22) | |
Not Interested (40) |
5 comment(s)
I feel like I've heard the title all my life but never read nor knew what it was about. I actually thought the girls name was Charlotte and not the spiders and this story was similar to Matilda. Although this book did not disappoint in anyway I was rather excited to read the actual story and learn about it. Such a nice children's book!
Read it as a child, and to my children when they were young. E.B. White writes touching animal stories very well.
Read in 2021
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Read in 2013
Fern is a kind girl who rescues the unhealthy piglet "Wilbur" from getting killed by her father. She agrees to send it to her uncle's farm and visits Wilbur everyday.
I dont know whether its her imagination that takes place there while sitting for hours that Wilbur and other animals talk, and Wilbur gets a Spider Chalotte as his best friend. And how charlotte saves Wilbur from getting killed again etc etc.
Even though the story ends with a sad touch, this story makes you happy even you are an adult :)
Charlotte's Web is an amazing book for kids.
Un buen libro para niños. El autor claramente conoce la vida de los animales y la vida en la granja.
Y es un gran amante de ambas. Es un libro que da estos detalles como si nada y los encaja perfectamente en la historia. Una historia simple pero con mucho incertidumbre para los niños, con todo tipo de emociones. Quiza la edad para leerlo es 8 años o asi.
Charlotte's Web is the story of a spider called Charlotte, who sets out to save a pig named Wilbur from being eaten. And what an odd little story it is. I tend to visualise when I read but I had to suppress my imagination because I hate spiders and just the thought makes me scratch. So in a lot of ways this was a hard read. In others it was easy. I liked Charlotte for the most part. She was an amusing character - intelligent, caring, determined and loyal. I liked how she outmaneuvered the humans.
‘How about “Terrific, terrific, terrific”?’ asked the goose. ‘Cut that down to one “terrific” and it will do very nicely,’ said Charlotte. ‘I think “terrific” might impress Zuckerman.’ ‘But Charlotte,’ said Wilbur, ‘I’m not terrific.’ ‘That doesn’t make a particle of difference,’ replied Charlotte. ‘Not a particle. People believe almost anything they see in print. Does anybody here know how to spell ‘terrific’?’
White, E. B.. Charlotte's Web . Rupa Publications. Kindle Edition.
She was definitely the most amusing character but I felt the whole story was kind of flat and disconnected. I liked Wilbur but he wasn't particularly riveting. And Fern starts off strong and then gradually disappears off the page. It was strange. Still there were quite a few amusing parts and it wasn't too long, so I mostly enjoyed it.
My favourite section was the following;
‘I’ve got something to tell you, Edith,’ he said. ‘You better sit down.’ Mrs Zuckerman sank into a chair. She looked pale and frightened. ‘Edith,’ he said, trying to keep his voice steady, ‘I think you had best be told that we have a very unusual pig.’
A look of complete bewilderment came over Mrs Zuckerman’s face. ‘Homer Zuckerman, what in the world are you talking about?’ she said. ‘This is a very serious thing, Edith,’ he replied. ‘Our pig is completely out of the ordinary.’ ‘What’s unusual about the pig?’ asked Mrs Zuckerman, who was beginning to recover from her scare. ‘Well, I don’t really know yet,’ said Mr Zuckerman. ‘But we have received a sign, Edith—a mysterious sign. A miracle has happened on this farm. There is a large spider’s web in the doorway of the barn cellar, right over the pigpen, and when Lurvy went to feed the pig this morning, he noticed the web because it was foggy, and you know how a spider’s web looks very distinct in a fog. And right spang in the middle of the web there were the words ‘Some Pig.’ The words were woven right into the web. They were actual part of the web, Edith. I know, because I have been down there and seen them. It says, ‘Some Pig’, just as clear as clear can be. There can be no mistake about it. A miracle has happened and a sign has occurred here on earth, right on our farm, and we have no ordinary pig.’
‘Well,’ said Mrs Zuckerman, ‘it seems to me you’re a little off. It seems to me we have no ordinary spider.’ ‘Oh, no,’ said Zuckerman. ‘It’s the pig that’s unusual. It says so, right there in the middle of the web.’ ‘Maybe so,’ said Mrs Zuckerman. ‘Just the same, I intend to have a look at that spider.’ ‘It’s just a common grey spider,’ said Zuckerman. They got up, and together they walked down to Wilbur’s yard. ‘You see, Edith? It’s just a common grey spider.’
White, E. B.. Charlotte's Web . Rupa Publications. Kindle Edition.
This was a favourite for a few reasons - but mainly because she is the only one who has a clue. Clearly Mrs Edith Zuckerman is a genius and honestly - why
aren't any of them interested that the SPIDER CAN WRITE?! The lack of logic there kind of irritates me. They're all caught up in the pig because the SPIDER TOLD THEM TO. But Edith is the only one to question it. The only other thing that bothered me was that Fern can hear what all the animals say but never actually converses with them? How on earth does that make sense? If you found yourself understanding animals and believing they're your friends why
wouldn't you try to hold a conversation? And the ending was bizarre. And terrifying. (Spider hater - 514 spiders. Yeah)
But sometimes it's easier to just accept the way things are and let it go. So overall quick decent read, rating of 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 because it made me chuckle at a few points.
What can you read after
Charlotte's Web?
About the Author:
E. B. White, the author of such beloved classics as Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan, was born in Mount Vernon, New York. He graduated from Cornell University in 1921 and, five or six years later, joined the staff…
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