I know I have been rather book-heavy with my posts lately but that is because I have had a surge of reading on the train. There is only so much Sudoku I can do without getting really really bored. Also I have to post about the books I read since I have set up my Reading Page.
Anyhoo, there are loads of children’s books that I have never read and I feel quite aggrieved that my parents did not make sure I read such books. I have never read The Chronicles of Narnia or The Magic Faraway Tree or Matilda or Black Beauty. I did, however, read lots of good books like What Katy Did and The Secret Garden and 101 Dalmations so maybe I should cut my parents some slack!
I just finished reading Charlotte’s Web for the very first time, largely inspired by Charlotte’s post about going to see the film and her love of the book. I won’t even try to convey how much I loved it, although I have do the nagging feeling that I have missed something that I would have felt if i had read this as a child. As I want to do the book justice, I will quote Charlotte who says that the message of the book is that:
.. miracles are possible, friendship can transcend barriers and words are powerful… [Charlotte] was tiny and insignificant, but she made great things happen and she used words to do so. She looked at someone who was ordinary, and by carefully selecting the perfect words to describe him, she showed that he was special. Where everyone else ignored him or couldn’t be troubled to become his friend since he was going to the smokehouse to turn into the Christmas roast, Charlotte made the effort to be his friend. She looked at his heart, instead of at his pigginess, and saw the goodness there.
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Oh my god. I nearly cried at my desk at work reading this post…I LOVED this book when I was a kid, and I swear I cried more tears over Charlotte’s death than I care to recall. I just couldn’t bear the ‘injustice’ of her dying having worked so hard to save her friend.Oh hell. Stop me, I’m tearing up… I’ll have to go to some crass celebrity website pronto or people will start to talk.PS – you’ve never read The Chronicles? You’re seriously missing out… closely following the flood of tears over Charlotte was the lake of tears I cried over Aslan.
I agree with the Urban Cowgirl. Get thee to a bookshop, purchase the Narnia boxset and reclaim your childhood. Then post here and tell us how it was.PS Thanks for the nod!
I loved that book!Did you ever read “Bridge To Terabithia?” The film was recently released here, and I’ve heard good things so far.
Cowgirl – sorry I didn’t mean to make you cry! And I know what you are saying about the injustice. The Circle of Life is a bitch sometimes! And I did *almost* cry on the train. I certainly got a lump in my throat.Charlotte – I will I promise!!!Karrie – nope not read but thanks for the rec… another item for my ‘to read’ list.:)
Did you see the Charlotte’s Web movie when it was out? It was really cute. I have yet to see The Chronicle’s movie…but that was one of my favorite childhood stories!!
I haven’t seen the Charlotte’s Web film yet which is why I wanted to read the book – so that I could read it before seeing it. I did see the Chronicles film which was great – I would have preferred to read the books first but it didn’t work out like that.