Charlotte's Web: The Essential Guide

by Amanda Li

Packed with full-color images from Paramount's new adaptation of the classic children's tale, this illustrated guide provides an in-depth look at the heartwarming world of Fern, Charlotte the spider,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0756620635
• ISBN13: 9780756620639
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: DK Publishing (Dorling Kindersley)
• Length: 46 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.9" x 11.1"
• Age Range: 1 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Meet all of the barnyard animals from the new "Charlotte's Web" movie

E.B. White's classic children's story "Charlotte's Web" was first published in 1952 and made into a successful animated film in 1973 with Debbie Reynolds as the voice of the title character. With all the advances in movie making magic regarding talking pigs, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood got around to making a "live action" version of the beloved story. The film opened in the United States today with Julia Roberts doing the voice of Charlotte, Dominic Scott Kay the voice of Wilbur, and Dakota Fanning as Fern. For youngsters who are enthralled with the movie, "Charlotte's Web: The Essential Guide" allows them to learn more about Charlotte's world. This is a DK book so that means there are 20 "chapters," each of which is a 2-page spread, except for the 4-page spread that opens up to show The Farm that serves as a map of Wilbur's journey from the Arables' to the Zuckerman's. This also means that there are well over 100 photographs from the movie on these 48-pages, including a detailed look at Templeton's lair (a shiny key makes an attractive ceiling decoration). The book includes a salutation to the readers from Joy, Aranea, and Nellie, a trio of names you should recognize if you have seen the movie or the animated film (or gone old school and read the book). Then you get to follow Wilbur's journey from the Zukerman's barn to his appearance at the County Fair. Along the way young readers will learn about facts about pigs and other animals, the big words Charlotte uses (like "magnum opus"), and who is Henry Fussy. Granted, calling this guide "essential" is overplaying things a bit, but for young readers who like the movie this book that Amanda Li has put together will certainly let them find out more about not only the characters in the film but the animals in the real world. I was just sort of surprised Dakota Fanning, who plays Fern, is still doing what would be considered a children's film, but then I remembered she does not become a teenager until next February. Anyhow, if on the way home from the film your kids are all excited about Charlotte, Wilbur and the rest of the gang, this book will allow them to prolong the experience and add a little education to the mix.