Charlotte's Web is a classic children's novel written by E.B. White, known also for works such as
Stuart Little and
The Trumpet of the Swan and illustrated by Garth Williams. The work is focused on a young pig named Wilbur, who, being the runt of the litter, is about to be slaughtered. However, his "owners" daughter, Fern, manages to save him and she raises him to be a strong healthy pig. However this means that he is sent down to a different farm, where he is being grown to be slaughtered for food. Determined to help, his spider friend Charlotte launches a campaign to save him. Reading the words brought to her on scraps from the rat Templeton, she begins weaving a series of words and phrases into her web, including "Radiant," "Terrific" and "Some Pig." Word spreads of these miraculous messages, but will it be enough to save Wilbur?
The novel, first published in 1952, has gained widespread acclaim and fame. It earned a Newbery Honor award, the Laura Ingall Wilders Medal (in conjunction with
Stuart Little and has sold more than 45 million copies.
The story was first adapted as a cartoon in 1973. It was released by by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Sagittarius Productions and featured music by the Sherman Brothers (
Winnie the Pooh,
Mary Poppins). The film was reasonably well-reviewed by critics (74% fresh on
Rotten Tomatoes), though endured some complaints regarding the quality of the animation and the music.
Notably, E.B. White himself was disappointed by the film. This did not stop it from becoming a popular success, enjoying strong popularity on VHS and television.
A follow-up to the cartoon,
Charlotte's Web 2: Wilbur's Great Adventure, was released in 2003,
Direct-to-Video, to celebrate the 30th anniversary.
In 2006, another adaptation was made, this time live-action. This one was Certified Fresh by Rotten Tomatoes, thanks in part to remaining largely faithful to the source material and also, in part, due to a moving score by
Danny Elfman. A video game based on this film was released for computer, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS and was reasonably well-reviewed, avoiding
The Problem with Licensed Games.
Not to be confused with
Babe, which also features a pig in a prominent role and many of the same themes, but has no spider character.
Some tropes seen in either the books or the films include:
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