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Original poster

Charlotte's web - for 5 yr old??

28 replies

autumnlover · 30/01/2007 20:48

DH is trying to find book to read to our DD1 who will be 5 in march. i've not read it and she has seen the adverts for the film on tv. what are your thoughts? what are the themes? is it appropriate??

she cant read yet. just started reception.

OP posts:
marthamoo · 30/01/2007 20:58

It's pretty sad at the end. Charlotte is a spider who saves a pig - Wilbur - from being slaughtered (she makes him into a kind of pig celebrity by spinning words in her webs). But she dies at the end (as spiders do).

I have a 5 year old and I think it's a bit old for him yet - I think ds1 was about 7 when I read it to him.

marthamoo · 30/01/2007 20:59

I'm wondering if they will "happy up" the film, actually...

Hulababy · 30/01/2007 21:00

Been thinkling about this for DD, who will be 5 in April. She finds the trailers for it really funny. But, the ending concerns me - she gets really into her films and would be very emotional if it is sad!

katzg · 30/01/2007 21:01

but i thought although Charlotte dies she leaves behind a nest of baby spiders, so the circle of life?

Hulababy · 30/01/2007 21:02

Yes, she does leave lots of babies in the book. I remember that bit. But Charlotte dying is the bit I am concerned about with DD - she will sob!

marthamoo · 30/01/2007 21:03

Yes she does, katzg - and it's very sensitively done. But Charlotte still dies

Spidermama · 30/01/2007 21:04

DH read it to my 4.5 year old a couple of months ago and he loved it. He has been asking to have it again and has said he wants to see the film of it.

Is there a film of it?

Spidermama · 30/01/2007 21:05

It is sad, yet uplifting.

Hulababy · 30/01/2007 21:05

spidermama - film is being trailed on Tv at the monet; comes out early February.

I have held of reading it to DD because of the ending; maybe I should just go for it!

katzg · 30/01/2007 21:08

i guess it would depend on your child to be honest, i think this might be a very good book for my dd to listen to because she has come across death quite a bit in her short life (she's 4) might have to purchase a copy for her. My recollection is that Charlottes death is a sad thing but normal, she was old for a spider, and death is something that happens.

Califrau · 30/01/2007 21:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
autumnlover · 30/01/2007 21:09

it sounds really sweet actually. she's had charlie & the chocolate factory, george & marvellous medicine, esio trot by roald dahl.

i think we'll go for it and dh hasnt read it either so it'll be nice for both of them ... hopefully.

OP posts:
katzg · 30/01/2007 21:11

i main problem in our house will be only reading a bit of it! we haven;t started on longer stories yet.

Ellaroo · 30/01/2007 21:13

I remember being read Charlotte's Web as a child and was just as traumatised at the time by my mother, father and aunt's reaction while reading it as I was the actual storyline - for the end section the book was passed around no less than 3 adult readers, each of whom was eventually reduced to such a blubbering mess that they had to pass it on to the next to continue the story-reading. I was only four and it is one of my most vivid memories...not a bad one, just a strong one - it was the first time I realised that literature could be so emotive and also the first time that I had seen my father cry...quite lovely really.

Hulababy · 30/01/2007 21:17

Katz - I have it on order - you can borrow it after if you like. (Oh, and things like My Naughty Little Sister and Magic Faraway Tree stories are great introductions to chapter stores - have those too if you want a borrow).

Bozza · 30/01/2007 21:18

I had been wondering about this for DS who will be 6 next month. I can remember it was a class book when I was in the second year juniors, so probably about 8. And in thebookpeople brochure that came today it said from age 8. But then it said Smartest Giant etc from 12 months but Hairy McClairy from age 2 which I didn't think was consistent. So might reconsider.

katzg · 30/01/2007 21:18

oh yes please hula! will buy it then if she likes it! doubt we'll get away with reading it once.

Bink · 30/01/2007 21:23

dd read it this summer (aged five-and-three-quarters) - she's very soft-hearted, and she loved it - no traumas at all. But it's quite a subtle story, so maybe not-yet-five is a little bit young.

Original poster
autumnlover · 30/01/2007 21:24

its also a book that they can read on their own once they are older and hopefully they will remember that it was read to them

OP posts:
bundle · 30/01/2007 21:24

dd1 wasn't ready for this until she was 6 or so. she enjoyed the film too.

USAUKMum · 31/01/2007 08:20

We read Charlotte Web to our DD at around 5. The first book we read her was Pippi Longstocking, then Charlotte's Web, Matilda, Clarince Bean, now we're on another Clarence Bean book. After the first 3, we took her to the bookstore or library and let her choose them (well, within reason DH refuses to read the Jewel Faries)

She enjoyed the book, was slightly sad at the end. But now really wants to see the movie!

Bozza · 31/01/2007 08:38

DH and I take it in turns to do DS's bedtime stories but we read different things. DH is currently reading through the Mr Men books with him and I am reading the Ladybird classic version of Treasure Island which has abotut 7 or 8 chapters. So if one of us really can't stand something we refuse to read it. DH is not keen on Horrid Henry so I have read most of those.

nikkie · 31/01/2007 18:20

Thats just been the most popular book at dds book fair!(infant school)

tenbygirl · 31/01/2007 22:28

I read Charlotte's Web when I was 5 or 6. I can distinctly rememebr not been bothered about her dieing at all. I think the story is written in such a way that the reader has an affinity with Wilber rather than Charlotte.

I was happy he lived and not bothered about the spider. Maybe I'm just very hard hearted But spiders aren't cuddly, its not like a cute piglet dying.

tinkerbellie · 31/01/2007 22:35

i can remember reading charlottes webb or having it read to me can't remember how old but can't have been more than 6 - wan't bothered about her dying was more concerned about the baby spiders

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