Everyone knows the story of how a little girl called Fern and a friendly spider called Charlotte manage to save Wilbur the pig. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read the story; this is an enchanting book which deserves to be read over and over again: at bedtime, in the afternoon, in the country or in the city. There is a handy paperback which can be popped into a pocket or a larger edition with beautiful coloured illustrations by Garth Williams. As you’ve probably guessed by now, I love this book.

I loved this book as a child. I am so happy now that my daughter is reading it now and loving it too. It is a beautiful story about the power of friendship. Pigs and spiders, sigh. I hope that she does not cry too much at the end, probably not as much as I will. Also: I just found out today (thanks wikipedia) the the E.B White who wrote this is the same E.B White who wrote 'elements of style' (I had always wondered) so you can rest assured that the grammar and punctuation will be spot on throughout

This story begins with a person called Fern and she was 8 years old. Her dad wanted to kill one of the pigs because it was so weak - it was a runt. But Fern didn't want that to happen. Fern named the pig Wilbur. Wilbur was a curious pig and he had a best friend called Charlotte the spider. Mr Zuckerman the farmer wanted to eat Wilbur but Charlotte tries to help Wilbur. Our favourite parts were when Templeton the rat was getting fat! We also thought it was funny when Wilbur was running around and escaping. We would recommend this book to people who like farms and animals, especially pigs.

I'm sure I read this as a kid but of course I had to read it again, and of course I loved it. What's not to love, there's talking farm animals, a spider that can write, a fun fair, a young girl that recognizes that animals are better than people (well most people anyway) and the threat of impending doom hanging over all. The writing is quaint and charming, as is the story, which makes this an absolute pleasure to read for any age. Love it!

I bought this book as a birthday present for my friend's 6 year old granddaughter but it is suitable for older children too. A heartwarming feel good story, highly recommended.