Charlotte's Web

"All these sights and sounds and smells will be yours to enjoy, Wilbur - this lovely world, these precious days..." (pg. 164).

This week, I read a few books. I read The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner and The Haunted Mask by R.L. Stine. These books were very enjoyable to read but did not hold any deeper messages to discuss. I also read the classic Charlotte's Web by E.B. White, which is the topic of this week's review!

This book begins with the birth of a litter of pigs, with one of them being a runt. Instead of killing him, Fern's father allows her to raise the pig on a bottle. She does this for a while, but Wilbur gets too big to keep at their house. She sells the pig to her uncle who lives down the road. Fern visits Wilbur and his new farm friends every day. One day, Wilbur learns he may be killed for food. Fearful for his life, he turns to Charlotte, who is a spider. She assures him that she will solve the problem. She decides to make Wilbur look like a show pig by weaving positive words about him into her web. The farmer buys into this and takes Wilbur to the fair. He wins the show, but sadly, Charlotte is too weak to come home with them. Wilbur takes her egg sac back to the farm, where Charlotte's babies hatch.

I remember reading this book as a young child and weeping over the death of Charlotte. This book was probably by first insight into the circle of life, and it will forever hold a spot in my heart. Like my first book, Bridge to Terabithia, this book deals with the topics of friendships and death. In the book, Wilbur has a hard time making friends at first, but he eventually finds his way into some lives. The readers get attached to these friendships and bonds that are made. Sadly, one of the most loved characters dies in the end, and readers are left feeling hopeless like Wilbur. This book, in my opinion, should be introduced into the classroom early on.

So, 5 out of 20 books down! Next week, I plan to review Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. Stay tuned!