BOOK OF THE WEEK
29 April 2024
Hello Bookworms!
What did you think of my book choices last week? Here are two more excellent books to read and if you’d like some more inspiration, do check out our Reading List.
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
On foggy mornings, Charlotte’s web was truly a thing of beauty . Even Lurvy, who wasn’t particularly interested in beauty, noticed the web when he came with the pig’s breakfast. And then he took another look and he saw something that made him set his pail down. There, in the centre of the web, neatly woven in block letters, was a message. It said: SOME PIG!
This is the story of a little girl named Fern, who loves a little pig named Wilbur – and of Wilbur’s dear friend, Charlotte, a beautiful large grey spider. When Fern’s uncle decrees that Wilbur must become bacon, Fern, Charlotte, Templeton the rat and all Wilbur’s farmyard friends come up with an ingenious plan to fool the humans, and save their very special pig.
Joyful, funny, and deeply moving, Charlotte’s Web is a story about the power of friendship, and celebrating what makes everyone special. It is rightly heralded as one of the greatest children’s books ever written.
‘An undisputed children’s classic, White’s effortlessly charming fable about a condemned pig and the clever spider determined to save him is written with exquisite pace, wit and gentle suspense.’ – Waterstones
‘E. B. White’s Newbery Honor Book is a tender novel of friendship, love, life, and death that will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come.’ – goodreads
‘An unusual and witty story which provides a gentle introduction to questions of mortality, Charlotte’s Web is a modern classic’. ― BookTrust
‘From grammar to the tenderness in which this story is delivered, E. B. White’s writing is so perfect… And Garth William’s muted illustrations are entirely without fault. Whether read aloud or solo, this is a book well deserving of it’s ‘classic’ status.’ ― The Children’s Book Review
‘An extraordinary story, exquisitely written, with unforgettable passages of dialogue and description, that confronts the dilemma of our relationship with farm animals. Witty, and in places, desperately sad this is a book where animals talk yet remain who they are, themselves. A book to make you cry.’ Michael Morpurgo, Lovereading4kids
‘A book that children can fall in love with. There is such affection and humour in this story and the characters are so well written, including not so loveable rogue Templeton the rat but it is Charlotte you can’t help but love and admire. It shows children what true friendship is and that nothing else is quite as important as the love and loyalty of a best friend.’ – fantasybookreview
The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell
Feo is a wolf wilder in training: a person who teaches tamed animals to be wild again, to fend for themselves, and to fight and to run. When the corrupt Russian Army threatens her wolves and arrests her mum, Feo is left with no option but to go on the run.
Feodora and her mother live in the snowbound woods of Russia, in a house full of food and fireplaces. Ten minutes away, in a ruined chapel, lives a pack of wolves. Feodora’s mother is a wolf wilder, and Feo is a wolf wilder in training. A wolf wilder is the opposite of an animal tamer: it is a person who teaches tamed animals to fend for themselves, and to fight and to run, and to be wary of humans.
When the murderous hostility of the Russian Army threatens her very existence, Feo is left with no option but to go on the run. What follows is a story of revolution and adventure, about standing up for the things you love and fighting back. And, of course, wolves.
‘Set in the snowy forests of Russia, this enchanting story from the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize-winning author about a girl and her mother who teach wolves to fend for themselves against hostile humans sends a powerful message about fighting for what you love.’ – Waterstones
‘Wolves, snow and a heroine worthy of comparison to Lyra Belacqua. It’s no mean feat to follow a novel as lauded as Rooftoppers, but Rundell has done it in great style’ – Editor’s Choice 2015, The Bookseller, Children’s Special
‘This is glorious. A haunting, fast-paced snowy adventure with another superb gutsy heroine told in Rundell’s beautiful and witty style’ – A Case for Books
‘A triumph! Exciting, moving, highly original, fierce, completely convincing’ – Philip Pullman
‘The Wolf Wilder has everything: it’s a truly compelling read; it’s beautifully written; it’s totally original and yet has the familiar feel of an established classic’ – Jacqueline Wilson
‘The most exciting new children’s novel for a decade . [Rundell] is a master storyteller in the Philip Pullman category’- Amanda Craig, The Independent