E. B. WhiteBesprekingen

Many years after I first read this essay my GR friend Left Coast Justin offered up a compelling review for White's Writings From the New Yorker and I was inspired to revisit. Some books that were life-changing for me when I was young do not appeal to me at all now. I travelled for two years of my life inspired in part by On the Road. When I tried rereading On the Road in my 40's I hated it, finding Kerouac both a bad writer and a flaming narcissist, but at 16 he planted in me a thirst to see the world riding alongside the person I loved with no money and no plans. and I am forever grateful to that bad boy.

White did not inspire me to want to move to NYC, visiting here did that. My mother says that after my first visit at the age of 3 I told anyone who asked that when I grew up I was going to be a New Yorker. That desire grew with every visit from forays to FAO Schwarz and Serendipity when I was 5, to Broadway shows and tea at the Plaza when I was 10, to dancing at Area and Danceteria with a fake ID and crashing in Avenue C squats when I was 17, to pretending to be cool at parties in Tribeca lofts and knowing the name of every bartender at Beirut when I was 23, to dinners at Daniel and Le Bernardin and arguments with writers that were featured in well-known publications at 30. But this book did have an impact. I first read this in a Norton's Anthology for a lit class my sophomore year of college, and it moved my filmy dreams of moving to the city to firm intent and then to positive action. And all these years later, after several readings, it is still the best explanation I have read of what makes New York New York and for why I love it with such passion. To be sure many of the particulars of this essay are dated, but it still explains why New York is the only place for some people, and as one of those people, one who has lived many other places but has never felt at home anywhere else, I find such joy in these pages. I reread this yesterday in part on an unpleasantly fragrant F-train, in part as I waited for a friend to meet me to see a gorgeous chamber music performance, in part as I sat on the 6-train full from too much Malaysian food and on my way to meet other friends at a jazz club uptown and it was perfect -- this is the only big warm hug I ever want to feel at midnight on the 6.

I started reading this in 2013, but being 662 pages long, it got set aside and buried at some point. A couple of months ago I dug it back up and have finally finished it.
What a charming and pithy letter writer was Mr. White. I guess that's no surprise given that he became a co-author of the famous "Elements of Style" on just that subject.
I loved meeting his friends and family in this way, and learning his views. Despite enjoying a bevy of "litry" friends and several friends outside that realm as well, he seems on the whole, to have been a shy person, never accepting an offer to speak to, or even belong to any group, nor even make an appearance to receive a national award from a president (both Kennedy and Nixon show up in these pages).
I mostly loved his interest in, affection for, and attendance to creatures in all shapes and sizes.
What struck me too, about the book, that seems unique to a book of letters, was the passage of time. He doesn’t mention his age until he’s in his 50’s, by which time we've already had visits to the hospital for one thing or another for he or his wife, and then, occasionally, an age number is dropped, and each time is a call to reminisce about the days of old, even though I wasn’t alive when he was young. Imagining, at times, my folks in those days, I'd gotten fond of his memories, as though they were mine and I missed our younger days of better health and less clash, grit, and modernity in our world.

Ages 9+
Newbery Honor Award

Independent Reading Level: Ages 5+
Awards & Honors: Newbury Honor (1953)
George C. Stone Center for Children’s books Recognition of Merit Award (1970)
Laura Ingalls Wilder Award (1970)
Massachusetts Children’s Book Award (1984)
Audie Award for Middle Grade (2020)

Independent Reading Level: Grades 3rd to 6th
Award: Newberry Honor in 1953
It has also won other honors and accolades over the years and has been included in multiple lists of
greatest children's books, showcasing its enduring popularity and impact on children's literature.

Independent Reading Level: 4th- 5th grade
Honors/Awards: Newberry Honor Award 1953

Audie Award for Middle Grade (2020)

ages 8-12
The book "Charlotte's Web" has received several prestigious awards, including the Newbery Honor in 1953, recognizing it as one of the most distinguished contributions to American literature for children.

Elementary School
This book follows several characters, Charlotte (the spider), Fern (the girl) and Wilbur (the pig). It follows their adventures and their story and in the end we read about Charlottes death and then see her kids. This story was the first that made me cry as a kid and I have a tender spot for it.
This book is a super amazing read even though it is a little sad. Something to keep in mind is that not all kids will be ready to read a book like this.

Independent Reading Level: 3rd-5th grade
Awards: Newbery Honor (1953), Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal (1970), National Education Association "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children" (2007)

A must-read book for those who aspire to be a writer.

Newbery Honor, The George C. Stone Center for Children's Books Recognition of Merit Award, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, The Massachusetts Children's Book Award, and The Horn Book Fanfare Award.
Reading grades 3-5

Independent Reading Level: Ages 8-12
Awards: A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book (1953)
Massachusetts Children's Book Award (Nominee — 1984)
Audie Award (Finalist — Middle Grade — 2020)
Audie Award (Finalist — Audiobook of the Year — 2020)
William Allen White Children's Book Award (Nominee — 1954-1955)
Newbery Medal (Honor Book — 1953)
Nēnē Award (Nominee — 1965)
Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Book Award (Winner — 1980-1981)
IBBY Honour Book (1978)
3 Apples Book Award (Winner — Children — 2007)
Surrey Schools’ Book of the Year (Winner — 1973)
George G. Stone Center for Children’s Books Recognition of Merit Award (1970)

This book touches the hearts of readers young and old. It portrays the bonds of friendship and the beauty of the natural world.

Independent reading level grades third through sixth.

Louis the trumpeter swan is born mute. He goes to a human school and learns to write, and then to play the trumpet. He gets odd jobs to save enough money to pay for his trumpet, from a summer camp bugler to a Boston Commons tour guide to a jazz musician in Philadelphia. Finally, he finds the female swan of his dreams.

Weirder and longer than I remember from when I was a kid, and has way less of the human boy on the cover in it. I enjoyed the beginning, and the views on disability are slightly more progressive than I expected (though the book uses a word for “mute” that we would not now). It’s nice that Louis finds accommodations but does not get “fixed” at the end. Louis’ quest for money is rather boring. The reader already knows that the full insurance cost for the trumpet is $900 so it’s a little annoying to see Louis work so hard for so much more than he needs/wants. But overall it’s pretty charming, there's some very funny bits, and the illustrations are lovely.½

AR: 4.9

Like the rest of his family, Louis is a trumpeter swan. But unlike his four brothers and sisters, Louis can't trumpet joyfully. In fact, he can't even make a sound. And since he can't trumpet his love, the beautiful swan Serena pays absolutely no attention to him.

Louis tries everything he can think of to win Serena's affection--he even goes to school to learn to read and write. But nothing seems to work. Then his father steals him a real brass trumpet. Is a musical instrument the key to winning Louis his love?

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Animals

This is a story about a girl named Fern. Fern saves a pig and names him Wilbur. The two develop a friendship that is unbreakable. Fern meets many other animals and builds bonds with them as well. This story is about friendship, kindness and love. Wilbur encounters many teachable moments in the story that can be shared with children. He has great character and is a good pig. The story would be appropriate for grades 4-7.

This story is a classic and will be loved by students of all ages. A girl named Fern saves Wilbur's life (who happens to be a pig). Along the way, Fern meets other animals and builds a bond with them. This is a heartwarming story for animals lovers about life, kindness and the importance of friendship. This book will make you laugh and cry. I can see why it is a Newbery Award winner!

This book is an amazing and impactful read. I personally believe that this book is a great read for later elementary school students as it is more of a difficult read compared to other books. Another thing that is amazing about this book is the story and how it portrays animals!

This classic tale has well developed characters. Charlotte's Web is a heartwarming tale of a lonely pig who wanted a friend. Throughout the story Wilbur learns many lessons about life, friendship and himself. Upper elementary to middle school students will be able to relate to the characters in this story.

Charlotte's Web is a magical story of an unlikely friendship between a pig and a spider. An 8-year-old girl named Fern, and her family live on a farm. One day Fern finds out that her father is going to kill the runt piglet. She believes it is unfair that it gets killed because it is small and defenseless. Fern names the piglet Wilbur and takes care of him until he is too big, at which point they sell Wilbur to Mr. Zuckerman, who has a farm not far away. Luckily Fern is able to visit Wilbur often, but Wilbur becomes lonely. Wilbur and and Charlotte, the spider, become the best of friends and have quite the journey together. Wilbur certainly is, "Some Pig." This is a sweet story that tells of how you can find friendship in unlikely creatures.