Charlotte's Web cover
Literary Fiction · Young Adult

Charlotte's Web

Mood
Tender, Whimsical
Protagonist
Animal ensemble
Parental Rating
G
Pace
Gentle, episodic
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On a small American farm, the runt pig Wilbur is saved from slaughter as a piglet by a girl named Fern. In the barn, a clever spider named Charlotte begins weaving words into her web to save him a second time.

Charlotte's Web depicts the death of a beloved character and has made generations of children cry. The themes of friendship, mortality, and the cycle of seasons are handled with restraint and tenderness, which is part of its lasting appeal.

Charlotte's Web is recommended for readers 7 to 11. It is widely read aloud to younger children as well, often serving as a first chapter book. It is one of the most-taught novels in American elementary schools.

Charlotte's Web was written by E.B. White, published in 1952 by HarperCollinsPublishers.

Charlotte's Web is 184 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.

At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, Charlotte's Web takes most readers 3 to 4 hours to finish.

Charlotte's Web is a standalone novel by E.B. White, not part of a series.

Charlotte's Web is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.

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