133. CHARLOTTE'S WEB

E. B. White 1952
with illustrations by Garth Williams

If you've ever felt nostalgic for a really good, wholesome and hugely entertaining book, this is the book for you.  How can we forget the story of Fern's pet pig Wilbur, who found the most unlikely best friend in a delightful and skillful spider named Charlotte?  It's a  story of friendship and loyalty, set in a place where the children are truly innocent and carefree, where the changing seasons of country life are heralded by creatures such as crickets in the fall, birds in the summer and frogs in the spring, and where even the rat Templeton becomes a helpful and adorable hero.  I love this book now more than I ever did. It is so far my top favorite children's book. 

'"Where's Papa going with that ax?" said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast.
"Out to the hoghouse," replied Mrs. Arable. "Some pigs were born last night.'(opening lines)

'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.'(13)

"What do you mean less than nothing?" replied Wilbur. "I don't think there is any thing as less than nothing. Nothing is absolutely the limit of nothingness. It's the lowest you can go. It's the end of the line. How can something be less than nothing? If there were something that was less than nothing, then nothing would not be nothing, it would be something -- even though it's just a very little bit of something. But if nothing is nothing, then nothing has nothing that is less than it is."(28)

'The early summer days on a farm are the happiest and fairest days of the year. Lilacs bloom and make the air sweet, and then fade. Apple blossoms come with the lilacs, and the bees visit around among the apple trees. The days grow warm and soft.'(42)

"What do people catch in the Queesborough Bridge --- bugs?" asked Wilbur.
"No," said Charlotte. "They don't catch anything. They just keep trotting back and forth across the bridge thinking there is something better on the other side. If they'd hang head-down at the top of the thing and wait quietly, maybe something good would come along. But no --- with men, it's rush, rush, rush, every minute. I'm glad I'm a sedentary spider."(60)

'Templeton, of course, was miserable over the loss of his beloved egg. But he couldn't resist boasting. "It pays to save things," he said in a surly voice. "A rat never knows when something is going to come in handy. I never throw anything away."(74)

'On foggy mornings, Charlotte's web was truly a thing of beauty. This morning each thin strand was decorated with dozens of tiny beads of water. The web glistened in the light and made a pattern of loveliness and mystery, like a delicate veil. Even Lurvy, who wasn't particularly interested in beauty, noticed the web when he came with the pig's breakfast. He noted how clearly it showed up and he noted how big and carefully built it was. And then he took another look and he saw something that made him set his pail down. There, in the center of the web, neatly woven in block letters, was a message. It said:

SOME PIG!'(77)

'Wilbur blushed. "But I'm not terrific, Charlotte. I'm just an average for a pig."

"You're terrific as far as I'm concerned," replied Charlotte, sweetly, "and that's what counts. You're my best friend, and I think you're sensational. Now stop arguing and go get some sleep."'(91)

"But for that matter I don't understand how a spider learned to spin a web in the first place. When the words appeared, everyone said they were a miracle. But nobody pointed out that the web itself is a miracle.'(109)

'It is not easy to look radiant, but Wilbur threw himself into it with a will. He would turn his head slightly and blink his long eye-lashes. Then he would breathe deeply. And when his audience grew bored, he would spring into the air and do a back flip with a half twist. At this the crowd would yell and cheer.'(114)

a Harper Trophy Edition

184 pages

Book owned
Book qualifies for: 100+ Reading Challenge