In honor of my oldest daughter's school play, I spent the past three weeks reading Charlotte's Web to my kindergarteners. It had been a long time since I had read this amazing story of friendship and loyalty and I found myself fighting back tears as I read the paragraph where Charlotte dies at the end of the book. (I found myself fighting back the same tears when Charlotte, portrayed by Abigail's good friend Cameron, died in the Holman Middle School production a few weekends ago. I think I am a sap. ) Anyway, I think that it is important for children to hear this story and that's why I am taking the time to blog about this book.
If you have a child in your life, read this book to him/her. Let the child hear the voices of the animals, let the child imagine the animals talking, let the child hear Charlotte reassure Wilbur that he will be saved. Let the child witness the story of friends who take care of one another, who sacrifice for each other, and who love each other beyond the grave. Let the child wonder if he/she will ever have a friend like Charlotte. And then, because it's 2013, let the child watch the DVD. It's as good as the book!
My mother read this book to me when I was five. With her voice, she made each animal sound different and I remember listening to the story each night before bed with my eyes closed. I didn't want to see the words before I heard them (I could read a little, but I wasn't taking any chances). I could see the action taking place in my head. I think it was probably Charlotte and Wilbur who made me love books and characters and made me want to take in every word I could read. I guess this is why I still read this book to my classes. It makes me wonder how many of my little ones will recall listening to this story 35 years from now with the same memories I had. You never quite know how the power of a good book might impact a life.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
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