“‘Where’s Papa going with that ax?’ said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast.”

From E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web.

After rescuing a runt piglet from an early death, the kind-hearted Fern names the small pig Wilbur and takes care of him until he grows too large for her to treat as a pet.  Fern’s father sells Wilbur to her uncle, Homer Zuckerman, which allows Wilbur a safe place to live that is close enough for Fern to visit.  Removed from Fern’s constant friendship, Wilbur tries to make friends with the other animals on the farm, but he is only able to make friends with a spider named Charlotte whose web is above Wilbur’s enclosure.  Wilbur and Charlotte quickly become friends, but when Wilbur learns that Zuckerman plans to use him for meat in the future, Charlotte promises to do something to keep the young pig alive.  With limited options, Charlotte decides to use the only thing that she has-her spiderweb- to protect Wilbur.  Charlotte weaves words and short phrases into her webs that highlight Wilbur, and her work quickly makes Wilbur and Zuckerman’s farm famous as word of the miraculous web messages spreads.  After Wilbur wins a special award at a county fair, Charlotte knows that Wilbur’s life has been spared, and she gives him a special, priceless task to carry on her legacy.

With its sweet story and captivating characters, this classic book has captivated readers, both young and old, for decades.  White creates a story that is simple enough for child readers, but also filled with enough heart to engage adult readers, too.  While Charlotte’s Web has inspired several movie adaptations and retellings, readers will find the original to be a timeless must-read full of love, loss, and life.