Reading was not a habit I picked up as a kid. I did not grow up reading Children's classics like 'Alice in wonderland' or 'Grimm's Fairy Tales'. But once I got introduced to the world of books, I felt I missed that experience as a kid. I have always wanted to read one such book just to see what it was like. Recently, when I came across the synopsis of Charlotte's web, that desire rekindled. What followed was four hours of one of the best reading experiences of my life. I was once step behind bawling like a baby. 
 The story centers around Charlotte the spider's attempts to save the innocent pig Wilbur from the brink of death. It teaches both Children and Adults alike in so many different levels. Wilbur's endearing personality combined with Garth Williams's cute illustrations of him will make the reader fall in love with the book instantly. However, for me Charlotte was the hero. She is witty, clever and above all has an unwavering determination to protect her friend. Wilbur mistakes Charlotte as a cruel and bloodthirsty person when he first meets her. On the contrary, Charlotte turns out to be every inch the true friend that he had always craved for. He admits his own error of judgment later in the novel. What a wonderful way to make children understand that it is wrong to judge a person by their exterior! There are certain subtle elements in the novel which cannot often be seen through the eyes of a child. For instance, Fern's (The little girl who initially raised Wilbur) budding adolescence is tacitly implied by the fact that she stops returning to barn because "she was growing up, and was careful to avoid childish things...". 
 The underlying motif of the novel is 'Friendship', a theme which transcends time and space. Perhaps that is why it still appeals to young and old readers. One can never get too old to read this book.