4.2 Stars

A little girl, Fern, lives with her family on a farm. When her father plans to kill the weakest runt, she rescues and adopts him. This runt, Wilbur, grows up to be a shy and sweet pig, making friends with other animals on the farm. When Wilbur’s fate hangs on a thread, his best friend, Charlotte, the spider, decides to save him no matter the cost. 

The story comes in omnipresent POV. 

I’ve heard a lot about this book but haven’t read it (or watched the movie). Recently, I found a secondhand copy at a book fair and bought it. Well, no point in waiting now, right? 

Though the book undoubtedly belongs to Charlotte, I have to talk about Fern, the little girl who ensures Wilbur gets a second chance at life. She is an adorable darling with sweetness and sensitivity. Her love for Wilbur shines almost throughout. Though she ‘sells’ Wilbur to her uncle, she makes it a point to visit him and spend as much time as possible with her lovely pet. 

Even in the beginning, she is such a cute and innocent pet parent, feeding Wilbur milk from the bottle, letting him sleep in her doll’s pram when he is tired, clapping and cheering at his antics in the barn, etc. 

Wilbur’s network widens after he moves to Fern’s uncle’s barn. He makes new friends with the geese, gander, cows, sheep, and of course, Charlotte. Still, he loves Fern and misses her when she doesn’t visit him due to bad weather. After all, she is the only parent he has known! 

Now, Charlotte is the queen and the hero of the book. Why not? She is the best! However, I could say she is like Fern but smarter despite her tiny size. Both Charlotte and Fern adopt Wilbur in their own ways. The little piggy sure triggered their protective instincts! 

Avery is another fun addition. I couldn’t stop thinking about how today’s parents would react to his antics. The lad had a lovely carefree farm life; that much I’d say. Here, I also have to mention Dr. Dorian, who has a wonderful perspective. 

The dialogues are super fun, especially the repetitions. Kids will love it! The ending is a bit sad but still heartwarming. The illustrations are great too! 

To summarize, Charlotte’s Web is a beautiful story about a little piggy who becomes a darling pet to a young girl and then to a spider with a brave heart and a clever brain.