Charlotte's Web

"Some Pig"

I just finished reading E.B. White's Charlotte's Web for the first time.  I'm still teary-eyed.  I sort of feel bad for my poor husband, who found me red-eyed and weepy when he came back from taking Casey to the dog park moments after I closed the book.  He truly thought something was really, really wrong.

I think I never read this book prior to now because I had such strong, happy memories of watching the cartoon with my mother when I was a child.  I only picked it up because it was recommended by my professor.  I remember my mother telling me it was one of her favorite stories when she was little, and I remember her hard cover copy with color illustrations that she kept on a shelf.  Because I had seen the cartoon, I thought that I knew the story; it never occurred to me that I was missing out on something precious by not actually reading the book.

This just reminds me that reading the classics--and I certainly believe that Charlotte's Web is a classic-- are tremendously important, and still incredibly relevant in today's world.  I may not live on a farm or know anything about pigs, but I sure do treasure my friends.  Also, just because there is a wave of phenomenal current children and teen literature doesn't mean that we should ignore the stories that touched our hearts when we were young.

Your mission, Parents, Guardians, and Friends, should you choose to accept it, is this: share the stories you loved as a child with your kids.  Take down that book you treasured as a child.  Read with them.  Talk to them about those stories.  Create treasured memories.

You'll be glad you did.

Happy Reading!