Charlotte's Web

* 1953 Newbery Honor Book * 1970 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award This is the story of a kindhearted girl named Fern who saves the life of a very small and very lucky pig named Wilbur. It is also the story of Charlotte A. Cavatica, the beautiful, resourceful gray spider who lives with Wilbur in the barn and who becomes his best friend. Surrounded by his barnyard pals and cheered by Fern's visits, Wilbur enjoys each new day -- until the old sheep tells him what farmers do to pigs at Christmas. Suddenly Wilbur is terribly afraid, but faithful Charlotte promises to spin a clever plan to save her humble friend. And with the help of Templeton the rat, she does just that. As moving and eloquent now as when it was first written more than fifty years ago, Charlotte's Web celebrates the sweetness of friendship, even when it is tinged by loss. Born in Mount Vernon, New York, award-winning author E. B. White (1899-1985) penned the children's classics Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web, and The Trumpet of the Swan. He also wrote numerous articles, essays and editorials for The New Yorker and Harper's Magazine and authored more than 17 books of poetry and prose. In 1978, White was awarded a special Pulitzer Prize citation for his body of work. E. B. White's Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan are also available on audio from Listening Library.