What’s it all about?:
The tale of how a little girl named Fern, with the help of a friendly spider, saved her pig Wilbur from the usual fate of nice fat little pigs.
An affectionate pig named Wilbur befriends a spider named Charlotte, who lives in the rafters above his pen. In this story of friendship, hardship, and the passing on into time, White reminds readers to open their eyes to the wonder and miracle found in the simplest of things.
What did I think?:
This is the July read for the Kid-Lit challenge that I am participating in with my sister, and my choice, as I remember loving this book as a child. My opinion hasn’t changed, it is a wonderful and completely charming read, and I really enjoyed re-visiting it. A little girl called Fern begs her father to save a little pig, its crime being the runt of the litter. She names the pig Wilbur, and raises the pig herself, feeding it with a bottle and taking it for walks in a pram. Eventually, Wilbur becomes a bit too costly for Fern’s parents but he is sent to live on a neighbouring farm where Fern can visit him everyday. In his new surroundings, Wilbur becomes a bit lonely for a friend to play with, and disaster strikes when he hears that he is been fattened up for a reason… for the farmer’s pork dinner! Then in swoops Charlotte, a friendly and creative spider who comes up with a perfect idea to save Wilbur’s bacon (pardon the pun!)
Apart from being a terrific story, I also loved the illustrations in this book by Garth Williams which I had completely forgotten about, and are a perfect addition for younger readers. And who couldn’t love the barnyard animals? I even found myself feeling a bit warm towards the sly and greedy rat Templeton when he assists Charlotte and Wilbur in their mission, even if he’s only thinking of his stomach and the reward he will be granted for his help. And the end – I remember feeling heartbroken every time I read it… this is a huge compliment to the author as I am a incurable arachnophobic. A brilliant tale for children (and the child in everyone) that I highly recommend.
Please see my sister Chrissi’s fabulous review HERE.
Would I recommend it?:
But of course!
Star rating (out of 5):
