Charlotte’s Web

Posted by Sarah
Category Categories: Fiction, Review, Younger Readers
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Comments 3 Comments »

Our rating: ***

One morning Fern Arable, an eight year-old girl, learned her father was about to kill the runt of the new pig litter. She rushed to stop him and finally Mr. Arable agreed not to harm the pig. Mr. Arable gave the pig to Fern, and she eventually named him Wilbur. However, after a few weeks of happiness together, Mr. Arable told Fern that the pig would have to be sold. Wilbur was getting bigger, along with his appetite, and Mr. Arable wasn’t willing to feed the pig any longer. So Fern sorrowfully sold Wilbur to her Uncle Zuckerman’s farm nearby, where she could go and visit him. However, even with all Fern’s visits, Wilbur became lonely. But a spider named Charlotte was ready to be his friend and would also try to save him from being killed and made into bacon and ham.

A great book. For those who don’t like spiders, this book might help them feel a little more affectionate to the eight-legged insects. Maybe. No guarantees. And all readers should be prepared for a sad and perhaps unexpected part at the end. However, Templeton the rat is rather funny sometimes, and I really like the ending of this book.

Salamandastron

Posted by Ruth
Category Categories: Adventure, Fiction, Incredibook!, Older Readers, Review
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Comments 2 Comments »

Our rating: *****

Mara, the young badger whom Lord Urthstripe adopted, is not content with her life at Salamandastron, the great badger mountain. So she runs away with her good friend, Pikkle Ffolger, an over-enthusiastic hare. Lord Urthstripe is grieved when he learns this, but even more so when the runaways return with two vermin, a ferret and a weasel, who, unbeknownst to Mara and Pikkle, are part of the great horde of the evil weasel, Feragho the Assassin! After scouting out the mountain fortress, the vermin return to their horde to report their discoveries and begin the march to conquer Salamandastron. While all this is going on, back at Redwall, the sword of Martin the Warrior is discovered and, shortly after, stolen. Arula the mole and Samkin the squirrel set off on a quest involving many adventures to regain the sword.

I love this book very much. (And, let’s be frank about it: I have a hard time reading it without crying.). It’s a wonderful tale of hope, strength, and sorrow, bound together by friendship.

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