I can't explain how much the girls loved this book. I would read it until I was hoarse and then they would beg to keep going. We did very well at stopping to look up words and writing them down to review. Kendi got in to the habit of asking questions when she didn't understand. We wrote down all the characters names and adjectives about them including the words Charlotte put in her web. There were some really good discussions, especially about the difference between Charlotte and Templeton. My personal feelings about this book is that it is about a little girl tragically outgrowing her imagination, but I'm sure the book could mean something different to everybody.
The girls have seen cartoon versions of this story so they knew that Charlotte would die in the end, but after we finished the book, we rented the latest movie of Charlotte's Web. The one with Dakota Fanning in it. In that movie they really dramatize Charlotte's death and how sad Wilbur was. Kendi could not stop sobbing. I have never seen her so emotional. I think she really came to love Charlotte from reading the book and then felt extra emotional about it from the movie. She says she loved the movie, but I did not let her watch it again before we sent it back.
They want to read the book again this summer. It makes me so happy to see my kids so excited about books to read. I hope we find many more just as great. It's so fun to be a homeschooler.
