Another Great Book for Families
“Where are you going with that ax?” said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast.
Young Fern Arable is about to learn a harsh lesson of life. Mr. Arable plans to kill a runt pig, just like all farmers must “do away” with an animal sure to be unprofitable.
“Do away with it?” shrieked Fern. “You mean kill it? Just because it is smaller than the others?”
Thus begins the story Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, considered one of the greatest classics in children’s literature. Like other famous children’s books, Charlotte Web has deep Maine roots. As a child, E.B. White summered on Great Pond in the Belgrade Lakes region, a quiet sanctuary from the noise of his native New York. Later in life, he bought a farm in Brooklin, Maine where his famous book was written.
Few children’s books tackle the theme of death. In a gentle, lyrical style, E.B. White approaches one of life’s most profound realities. Wilbur, Fern’s pet pig, rescued from the axe, worries about being slaughtered. Charlotte, the spider who saved Wilbur’s life in a miraculous way, bluntly tells Wilbur of her impending death.
“I’m done for. In a day or two I’ll be dead.”
Hearing this, Wilbur threw himself down in an agony of pain and sorrow.
Charlotte’s Web is also a story of deep friendship between Fern, Wilbur, and Charlotte.
I must confess that this tale haunts me every August when I hear the song of crickets. In the chapter The Crickets, White once again turns to the theme of death.
The crickets sang in the grasses. They sang a song of summer’s ending, a sad, monotonous song. “Summer is over and gone, over and gone. Summer is dying, dying.” The crickets felt it their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last forever. Even in the most beautiful days in the whole year¾the days when summer is changing to fall¾the crickets spread the rumor of sadness and change.
People living in these northern climates always seem to have the coming of winter lurking on the edge of their minds. As you may well know, Mainers get firewood deliveries on the hottest days of summer. We can identify with the sentiment expressed in Charlotte’s Web.
Even E.B. White was deeply moved by his own writing. When he narrated the book for a cassette tape recording, he often paused to fight back tears. His narration now can be found on audiobooks.
Here is another book list, this one recommended by Father Paul. You can get a free download at Word on Fire: Spark the Imagination: 189 Great Books for Kids.