Charlotte's Web
Author	E. B. White
Illustrator	Garth Williams
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre(s)	Children
Publisher	HarperCollins
Publication date	1952
Media type	Print
Pages	192 pp
ISBN	ISBN 0-06-028298-3

Charlotte's Web is a children's book by acclaimed American author E. B. White. First published in 1952, it tells the story of a barn spider named Charlotte and her friendship with a pig named Wilbur. The book was illustrated by Garth Williams. Charlottes Web is a childrens book, which was first published in 1952. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Elwyn Brooks White (July 11, 1899, Mount Vernon, New York – October 1, 1985, North Brooklin, Maine) was a leading American essayist, author, humorist, poet and literary stylist. ... Garth Williams, April 16, 1912 - May 8, 1996, was a prominent American illustrator known for his work on childrens books. ... For other uses, see Country (disambiguation). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Childrens books redirects here. ... A publisher is a person or entity which engages in the act of publishing. ... HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. ... See also: 1951 in literature, other events of 1952, 1953 in literature, list of years in literature. ... ISBN redirects here. ... Childrens books redirects here. ... Elwyn Brooks White (July 11, 1899, Mount Vernon, New York – October 1, 1985, North Brooklin, Maine) was a leading American essayist, author, humorist, poet and literary stylist. ... Year 1952 (MCMLII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Binomial name Araneus cavaticus Keyserling, 1882 Wikispecies has information related to: Araneus_cavaticus The barn spider (Araneus cavaticus) is a nocturnal, yellow and brown spider with contains particular markings of stripes on its legs and a marking on its underside that is typically a black background with two white marks inside... For other uses, see Pig (disambiguation). ... Garth Williams, April 16, 1912 - May 8, 1996, was a prominent American illustrator known for his work on childrens books. ...

Publishers Weekly listed the book as the best-selling children's paperback of all time as of 2000.^[1] Publishers Weekly is a weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. ...

Plot summary

This book begins when John Arable's sow gives birth to a litter of piglets, and Mr. Arable discovers one of them is a runt and decides to kill it. However, his 8 year old daughter Fern begs him to let it live. Therefore her father gives it to Fern as a pet, and she names the piglet Wilbur.

Wilbur is hyperactive and always exploring new things. He lives with Fern for a few weeks and then is sold to her uncle, Homer Zuckerman. Although Fern visits him at the Zuckermans' farm as often as she can, Wilbur gets lonelier day after day. Eventually, a warm and soothing voice tells him that she is going to be his friend. The next day, he wakes up and meets his new friend: Charlotte, the gray spider. Wilbur soon becomes a member of the community of animals who live in the cellar of Zuckerman's barn.

When the old sheep in the barn cellar tells Wilbur that he is going to be killed and eaten at Christmas, he turns to Charlotte for help. Charlotte has the idea of writing words in her web extolling Wilbur's excellence (such as "SOME PIG"), reasoning that if she can make Wilbur sufficiently famous, he will not be killed. Thanks to Charlotte's efforts, Wilbur not only lives, but goes to the county fair--with Charlotte--and wins a prize.

Due to the short lifespan of spiders, Charlotte dies at the fair. Wilbur repays Charlotte by bringing home with him the sac of eggs (her "magnum opus") she had laid at the fair before dying. When Charlotte's eggs hatch at Zuckerman's farm and most of Charlotte's daughters leave to make their own lives elsewhere, three (Nellie, Aranea and Joy) remain there as friends to Wilbur. Magnum opus (sometimes Opus magnum, plural magna opera), from the Latin meaning great work,[1] refers to the best, most popular, or most renowned achievement of an author, artist, or composer, and most commonly one who has contributed a very large amount of material. ...

Wilbur is a very kind and gracious pig. Charlotte was a bit rude though. But everyone adores Charlotte. In fact, Charlotte is my favorite character! I am so hapy.  :) smiley smily face! charlotte is so beautiful. if only she had shaven of the hairs on her legs.

Sales and recognition

Aside from its paperback sales, Charlotte's Web is 78th on the all-time bestselling hardback book list. According to publicity for the 2006 film adaptation (see below), the book has sold more than 45 million copies and been translated into 23 languages. It was a Newbery Honors book for 1953, losing to Secret of the Andes by Ann Nolan Clark for the medal. The Newbery Honor is a citation given by the Association for Library Service to Children of the American Library Association (ALA). ... Secret of the Andes is a novel by Ann Nolan Clark that won the 1953 Newbery Medal. ... Ann Nolan Clark (Anna Marie Nolan on December 6, 1896, in Las Vegas, New Mexico - 1995) is an United States writer. ... The John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children of the American Library Association (ALA) to the author of the outstanding American book for children. ...

In 1970, White won the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, a major prize in the field of children's literature, for Charlotte's Web, along with his first children's book, Stuart Little, published in 1945. Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal is a prize awarded by the American Library Association to writers or illustrators of childrens books published in the U.S. who have made substantial and lasting contributions to childrens literature. ... This article is about the book. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ...

Film adaptations

1973 version

Main article: Charlotte's Web (1973 film)

The book was adapted into an animated feature by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Sagittarius Productions in 1973. The film, distributed to theatres by Paramount Pictures on February 22, 1973, is one of only two Hanna-Barbera features not based upon one of their television cartoons—Heidi's Song (1982) being the other—and was a moderate critical and commercial success. The animated version was a musical film with lyrics and music by the Sherman Brothers, who had previously been responsible for the music in the family films like The Jungle Book (1967) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, (1968). Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Charlottes Web Charlottes Web, a childrens book by E. B. White, was adapted into an animated, musical film by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Sagittarius Productions in 1973. ... Animation refers to the technique in which each frame of a film or movie is produced individually, whether generated as a computer graphic, or by photographing a drawn image, or by repeatedly making small changes to a model (see claymation and stop motion), and then photographing the result. ... Cartoon Network Studios, formerly known as Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and distribution company, based in Hollywood, California. ... is the 53rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... Cartoons started in the 1930s and 40s. ... For other uses, see Heidi (disambiguation). ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... The musical film is a film genre in which several songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative. ... Robert B. Sherman & Richard M. Sherman at the London Palladium in 2002 during the premiere of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Stage Musical. ... The Jungle Book is a 1967 animated feature film, released on October 18th. ... Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a 1968 feature film with a script by Roald Dahl and Ken Hughes, and songs by the Sherman Brothers, based on Ian Flemings book Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car. ...

2003 version

Main article: Charlotte's Web 2: Wilbur's Great Adventure

This is the sequel of the 1973 movie, released directly to video by Paramount Pictures. Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and distribution company, based in Hollywood, California. ...

2006 version

Main article: Charlotte's Web (2006 film)

Paramount Pictures, with Walden Media, Kerner Entertainment Company, and Nickelodeon Movies, produced a live-action/animated film starring Dakota Fanning as Fern. It was released on December 15, 2006. Special effects were by Fuel International, Digital Pictures Iloura, Proof (studio), Rhythm and Hues Studios, Rising Sun Pictures, and Tippett Studio [1]. Charlottes Web is a live-action/computer-animated feature film, based on the popular book of the same name by E.B. White. ... Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and distribution company, based in Hollywood, California. ... Walden Media is a film production and publishing company best known as the producers of The Chronicles of Narnia film series. ... For the early 20th century movie theater, see Nickelodeon movie theater. ... Charlottes Web is a live-action/computer-animated feature film, based on the popular book of the same name by E.B. White. ... Dakota Fanning (born Hannah Dakota Fanning on February 23, 1994) is an American actress. ... is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rhythm & Hues Studios is an Academy Award winning visual effects studio, founded in 1987 by six former employees of Robert Abel and Associates. ... Rising Sun Pictures (RSP) is an Australian, Adelaide- and Sydney-based visual effects company. ... Tippett Studio is an Academy Award winning visual effects company specializing in computer-generated imagery (CGI) for movies and television commercials. ...

Trivia

• Charlotte gives her full name as "Charlotte A. Cavatica", revealing her as a barn spider, an orb-weaver with the scientific name Araneus cavaticus.

Binomial name Araneus cavaticus Keyserling, 1882 Wikispecies has information related to: Araneus_cavaticus The barn spider (Araneus cavaticus) is a nocturnal, yellow and brown spider with contains particular markings of stripes on its legs and a marking on its underside that is typically a black background with two white marks inside... Diversity 166 genera, 2840 species Genera Aculepeira Arachnura Araneus Araniella Argiope (St Andrews Cross spider) Austracantha Bertrana Celaenia Cladomelea Cyclosa Cyrtophora Dicrostichus Eriophora Gasteracantha (Spiny orb-weavers) Kaira Larinia Larinioides Lewisepeira Mangora Mastophora Melychiopharis Metepiera Micrathena Neoscona Nuctenea Ordgarius Perilla Zygiella many others The orb-weaver spiders (family Araneidae...

Footnotes

See also

• Category:Charlotte's Web films
• Category:Charlotte's Web songs

External links

• Charlotte's Web at the Big Cartoon DataBase
• Charlotte's Web Summary. See characters in Charlotte's Web for additional references.