Charlotte’s Web has a very special place in my heart. It was the first chapter book I read on my own. I remember feeling so proud to be able to read a whole book by myself. In October I signed up for Scribd (awesome deal for audiobooks and ebooks), and so my kids and I went searching for a book we can listen to during our 10-15 minute drive to school. Listening to E.B. White read his book to us was a magical experience.

Title: Charlotte’s Web

Author: E.B. White (narrated by E.B. White)

Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio

Date of Publication: May 2002

Genre: Children’s Fiction

Length: 3 hrs 34 mins

“Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte’s Web, high up in Zuckerman’s barn. Charlotte’s spiderweb 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. This edition contains newly color illustrations by Garth Williams, the acclaimed illustrator of E. B. White’s Stuart Little and Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series, among many other books.” https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24178.Charlotte_s_Web

“Fern was up at daylight, trying to rid the world of injustice. As a result, she now has a pig. A small one to be sure, but nevertheless a pig. It just shows what can happen if a person gets out of bed promptly.”

Fern convinces her parents to let her save the runt of the pig litter, names him Wilbur, and introduces him to the animals at the Zuckerman’s barn. The description of the Zuckerman’s barn and the fair create a clear picture for this wonderful story.

“THE BARN was very large. It was very old. It smelled of hay and it smelled of manure. It smelled of the perspiration of tired horses and the wonderful sweet breath of patient cows. It often had a sort of peaceful smell—as though nothing bad could happen ever again in the world.”

A wonderfully unique tale, Charlotte’s Web is a children’s story with poignant messages about friendship, love, morals, and the circle of life.

“And then, just as Wilbur was settling down for his morning nap, he heard again the thin voice that had addressed him the night before.
“Salutations!” said the voice.
Wilbur jumped to his feet. “Salu-what?” he cried.
“Salutations!” repeated the voice.
“What are they, and where are you?” screamed Wilbur. “Please, please, tell me where you are. And what are salutations?”
“Salutations are greetings,” said the voice. “When I say ‘salutations,’ it’s just my fancy way of saying hello or good morning.”

I love Charlotte’s personality. She always told the truth, put others before herself. She acted like a mother to the other barn animals. She’s the friend I hope I am.

“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.”

My 9 year old, 11 year old, and I give Charlotte’s Web 5 stars. 

“Elwyn Brooks White was a leading American essayist, author, humorist, poet and literary stylist and author of such beloved children’s classics as Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan. He graduated from Cornell University in 1921 and, five or six years later, joined the staff of The New Yorker magazine. He authored over seventeen books of prose and poetry and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1973.

White always said that he found writing difficult and bad for one’s disposition.

Mr. White has won countless awards, including the 1971 National Medal for Literature and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, which commended him for making ‘a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children.'” https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/988142.E_B_White