#e b white

[nonsensology]

This was supposed to just be a rough sketch, but then I started getting really invested in it.

I hadn't initially intended to include so many picture book characters, but the nostalgia was overwhelming. Does anyone remember the animated short films produced by Weston Woods? My local library used to have a bunch of them on the Scholastic VHS tapes from the late 90s. (I know some shorts were released on the Children's Circle VHS tapes back in the 80s (🎶 Come on along! Come on along! Join the caravan!), and some were packaged in Sammy's Story Shop in 2008.)

Characters:

Max, from Where the Wild Things Are, written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak

Peter, from The Snowy Day, written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats

Brother Bear and Sister Bear, from The Berenstain Bears series, written and illustrated by Stan and Jan Berenstain

Pooh and Piglet, from the Winnie-the-Pooh books, by A. A. Milne, illustrated by E. H. Shepard

Owen, from Owen, written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes.

Mouse, from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, by Laura Joffe Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond

Louis, from The Trumpet of the Swan, by E. B. White

Mr. Toad, from The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame, based on the illustrations by E. H. Shepard

Mr. Tumnus, from The Chronicles of Narnia series, by C. S. Lewis

Pippi and Mr. Nilsson, from the Pippi Longstocking books, by Astrid Lindgren

Willy Wonka, from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl, based on the illustrations by Quentin Blake

Matilda, from Matilda, by Roald Dahl, based on the illustrations by Quentin Blake (with an homage to the Mara Wilson movie)

Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, from Peter Pan, by J. M. Barrie

Merlin and Archimedes, from The Sword in the Stone, by T. H. White, based on the illustrations by Dennis Nolan

Pinocchio, from Pinocchio, by Carlo Collodi, based on the illustrations by Enrico Mazzanti

Alice, White Rabbit, and Cheshire Cat, from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll, illustrated by John Tenniel

Rupert Bear, from the Rupert stories, created by Mary Tourtel and continued by Alfred Bestall, John Harrold, Stuart Trotter, and others.

Arthur Read, from the Arthur series, written and illustrated by Marc Brown

Tin Woodman and Scarecrow, from the Land of Oz series, by L. Frank Baum, based on the illustrations by W. W. Denslow and John R. Neill

The Cat in the Hat, from The Cat in the Hat, written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss

a frog on a flying lily pad, from Tuesday, written and illustrated by David Wiesner

Charlotte, from Charlotte's Web, by E. B. White

[andallshallbewell]

[nobeerreviews]

At this season of the year, darkness is a more insistent thing than cold. The days are short as any dream.

-- E.B. White

(Luzern, Switzerland)

[red-ibis-red]

And so Wilbur came home to his beloved manure pile in the barn cellar. His was a strange homecoming. Around his neck he wore a medal of honor; in his mouth he held a sac of spider's eggs. There is no place like home, Wilbur thought, as he placed Charlotte's five hundred and fourteen unborn children carefully in a safe corner. The barn smelled good. His friends the sheep and the geese were glad to see him back.

—E.B.White, Charlotte’s Web

[its-all-down-hill]

[book-of-arts04]

Latest painting! What do you think?

[afropuffsartstudios]

Author Spotlight: E. B. White 📖

E. B. White, author of Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, & more, was born on July 11, 1899

[carriagelamp]

This month I managed to read a few Classic Children's Novels that I've been meaning to get around to for years, so it was very satisfying to finally have them checked off my list!

Early Man: Junior Novelization

This is a novelization of the Aardman film, in which you learn about the secret neolithic origins of football/soccer, in which a timid, bumbling clan of Stone Age cavemen find themselves being overwhelmed by an all powerful Bronze Age empire… a Bronze Age empire that loves football. The only way to save their valley will be for the cavemen to somehow learn this strange new sport and beat the Bronze Age champions.

I really enjoy this movie and I often enjoy a novelization, so I thought I’d see how this one was. And it was… fine. It pretty well expresses the movie in simple language, with no shocks and surprises — though it was Americanized which always gets my goat. If something is written in British English just leave the damn thing in British English, especially if one of the key concepts is football/soccer, it just becomes jarring to “soccer” when the whole movie refers to it as “football” smh

Elmer and the Dragon // The Dragons of Blueland

I read the first book of this trilogy — My Father’s Dragon — a couple months ago because of the Netflix film and quite enjoyed it. These next two books were… fine. The first felt quite fresh and interesting and charming, in which a young boy called Elmer ventures to Wild Island to try to save a baby dragon that’s been imprisoned by the animals there. These next two are a direct continuation of that adventure, but honestly just feel more like additional chapters more than anything, they don’t really stand on their own. In Elmer and the Dragon, Elmer and the baby dragon escape Wild Island and end up having a little adventure with some birds who have a strange mystery on their island. In The Dragons of Blueland, Elmer is called back by the baby dragon to help save his family who are being hunted and are trapped in a cave. 

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation 3

I adore this series, and I’ve talked about it at length before. I can’t believe that this book almost entirely took place in the past and never resolved the cliffhanger from the end of book two, but it just as me desperate to get my hands on the fourth book. The way all the different layers of the past are gradually being woven together to not only give answers but to actually raise more questions is really well done and makes it really satisfying to track how all these different characters connect to each other, and who knows what, and what events happened before and after other events…

I Think Our Son Is Gay

Just a very cute little manga about a housewife who suspects that her son may be gay. The son hasn’t come out yet, and is doing his best to try to cover it up, though he is sweet and very easy to read and not a terribly good liar. This is just the cutest slice of life — the mother accepts her son completely and is supporting him from the background until he’s ready to come out himself.

Julián Is A Mermaid

A lovely and loving picture book about a little boy who is completely enthralled by mermaids. He does his best to get dressed up as one, making a horrible mess in the process. However, when his abuela finds him and the mess, rather than being upset, she helps him perfect his costume and encourages him to do the things that make him feel happy and excited. All about self-love and passions and how children might express themselves in different ways.

I find some books like this can occasionally feel less like fun stories a child would enjoy and more like a lecture directed at adults who are already familiar with the topic, but this one is a perfect balance. It has a message to share, but the art is wonderful and dynamic, and the story is one a child could enjoy and relate to.

My Dress-Up Darling v1

I’ve had a hard month, so my brother bought me the first book of this as a happy day present because he thought it was funny. It definitely was and I think I’ll pick up the next book, it made me giggle out loud.

This story is about a boy who is learning the art of making traditional hina dolls from his dollmaker grandfather. While he loves the work, and is excited to be ready to work on more than just the clothing, he feels like a misfit for this unusual passion. Things change though when he finds his sewing skills suddenly being called for by a classmate who has her own odd passion -- a video game character that she desperately wants to cosplay. It's very cute, very silly, and is absolutely chock full of fanservice if you enjoy some gratuitous, silly sexiness along with romcom.

Nick and Charlie

Like many people I’ve been enjoying the Heartstopper graphic novel series, and finally picked up this little novella that Oseman had written years ago about a snapshot into Nick and Charlie’s relationship. This novella takes place in the lead up to Nick going off to university — Nick’s excited and Charlie’s anxiety over being left behind or forgotten is at an all time high. It was a very sweet and very quick read, I enjoyed settling down with it.

The Secret of Platform 13

I’ve often heard this book called a clear inspiration behind Harry Potter and have always meant to read it — well, now I finally have! I really enjoyed The Secret of Platform 13 and would highly recommend it to anyone that wants a book that reads like good, old-school, children’s low fantasy. I honestly can’t remember the last time I read a fantasy novel that gave me quite this feeling in a long time.

There is a magical world kept hidden safely away from the mundane world, where humans and magical beings are able to live together in safe and happy harmony. Every few years though, a door between the worlds open for a few days, giving a chance for people to crossover. During one of these moments, the newly born prince is brought over… and kidnapped, disappearing into the mundane world and unable to be rescued before the closing of the door. The magical kingdom waits many anxious years for the door to open once more, so that an intrepid rescue party can be sent out to save the lost, kidnapped prince…

Shaun the Sheep: The Flock Factor // The Beast of Soggy Moor

I really love these little Shaun the Sheep novels, between the art and the silly, cute writing style they really capture all the great things about the show. I had read a few of them a couple years back, and decided to finish off the series.

These books are all about Shaun, the de facto leader of the farm’s sheep flock, who is always coming up with schemes and plots and pranks. Along with him is the rather bumbling sheep flock, always ready for some mischief, Bitzer the overworked sheepdog who is just trying to keep order, and the completely clueless Farmer who manages to get into just as much trouble as his flock.

Stuart Little // The Trumpet of the Swan

I got onto an E. B White kick at the end of the winter holidays, because I have read Charlotte’s Web a hundred times, but haven’t read his other two children’s novels. I will say, I can see why it’s Charlotte’s Web that has really stood the test of time while the other two have become a bit more of a footnote. Both were enjoyable reads, but I wouldn’t bother recommending either unless someone really wanted a classic children’s novel to read.

The Trumpet of the Swan is about a trumpeter swan who is born without a voice. Determined to find ways to communicate, Louis goes through a variety of adventures, in which he befriends a human boy, learns how to print, is gifted a trumpet, gets employed at a summer camp, and even saves his love from a zoo. There’s some bits I really like, but then there’s other bits that don’t quite sit right, especially towards the end. It’s a mixed bag in my opinion.

Stuart Little I found particularly disappointing, especially because I assumed it would be like the film that came out in the aughts. Instead, Stuart Little is more episodic than possessing an overarching story, in which the mouse Stuart, born to a human family, goes through a series of odd misadventures that a mouse can get into. Once again, I found the ending weird… E. B. White just has a kind of weird fixation about love and I don’t love how it’s expressed in these children’s books. It feels out of place and frankly uninteresting. Honestly, I’d rather just rewatch the movie.

[wychelm]

You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what's a life, anyway? We're born, we live a little while, we die. A spider's life can't help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone's life can stand a little of that.

E. B. White, Charlotte's Web

[inlovewithquotes]

"Why did you do all of this for me," he asked. "I don't deserve it. I've never done anything for you."

"You have been my friend," replied Charlotte. "That in itself is a tremendous thing."

-Charlotte's Web

[toribookworm22]

Meet The Writer

Thank you @writeintrees for the tag!

No pressure tagging: @minutiaewriter @midnight-and-his-melodiverse @vmccombs & my open tag!!!

Q&A and an alternate picture below:

Three Fun Facts About Me:

1. Before I decided to be a writer, I wanted to be a marine biologist.

2. I'm obsessed with mermaids.

3. The first (real) book I was read was Charlotte's Web. I was 4 and I sobbed.

Favorite Season: Fall

Residing Continent: North America

My Spent Time: Mostly school and writing.

Published?: Yes! Shut Down, Book 1 of The Animatronic Saga is available on Amazon.

Verted: Introvert (though an extroverted one)

Favorite Meal: Chicken Alfredo

[bunnziebobcat]

Fan Art Friday - Stuart Little

This week's #FanArtFriday features E.B. White's Stuart Little, and he seems to be riding a hoverboard from Back to the Future 2, all to celebrate his voice artist, Michael J. Fox's birthday today. Oh, and let's make Michael's birthday special by considering donating to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Thank you.

[linusjf]

E B White: We grow tyrannical fighting tyranny

“We grow tyrannical fighting tyranny. The most alarming spectacle today is not the spectacle of the atomic bomb in an unfederated world, it is the spectacle of the Americans beginning to accept the device of loyalty oaths and witchhunts, beginning to call anybody they don’t like a Communist.” —E.B. White.

[adaptations-polls]

Which version of this do you prefer?

[teenageread]

Review: Charlotte's Web

Synopsis:

Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter. 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. This edition contains newly color illustrations by Garth Williams, the acclaimed illustrator of E. B. White's Stuart Little and Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series, among many other books.

Plot:

As the runt of the litter, Wilbur was set to die, until Fern decided to save him. Raising the little spring piglet by herself, Fern saw something special in Wilbur despite his tiny size. When he got too big, Fern’s parents suggested that Wilbur was to be raised at Uncle Zuckerman’s farm, which was better equipped for dealing with pigs. In the barn, Wilbur tried to become friends with the geese, the sheep, and even the rat, but no one was willing to play with him - until Charlotte. Charlotte was the spider who made her web at the top of the doorway and befriended the kind little piggy. When the pair find out that Zuckerman plans to kill Wilbur during the winter, Charlotte comes up with a plan to save Wilbur’s life, by making him the radiant pig everyone in the barn knows him to be.  

Thoughts:

A classical children's tale and one that I recommended everyone read to get the fullness of this wonderful story. Easy to read as it's meant for children, this short novel takes you through the third person point of view of Wilbur as he goes from being the runt of the litter to the star of the show. As the novel was written in the 50s it does have an old-style feel to it, with the story setting, and calling all the adults by Mr. or Mrs. However, unlike other 50-style novels, there is none of the racial or homophobic remarks as other stories do. This novel is designed for children, thus a very simple story with the theme being death. The novel started with Wilbur being sentenced to death but was saved by Fern, who most children can relate to in the sense they did not want to see the small pig die simply because he was the smallest. Then the middle theme of the novel was that Wilbur was to die during the holidays and it was up to Charlotte to come up with a plan to save Wilbur. As death is a heavy topic, this can make the novel hard for children to enjoy, but also what makes it a classic as it deals with this heavy topic in the best way you can. White made Willbur a loveable character, one for you to root for throughout the novel. Charlotte, while using big words for the age of this novel, was sophisticated and kind, and gave children a good idea of what it means to be a loving friend. Equally as huge as the death theme is the friendship theme and loyalty as we see Charlotte work effortlessly to save Wilbur, just because he is her friend. Where White could have gone more in-depth and made deeper emotional connections for this friendship, White kept it at a child’s level of Charlotte just stating that she is Wilbur’s friend and doing what she can to save him. Truly a simple plot, and one that deserves its rewards in literature and why, even as an adult, I feel this is an important story to re-read time and time again.

Read more reviews: Goodreads

Buy the book: Amazon

[josephconrads]

Title: The Trumpet of the Swan

Author: E.B. White

Rating: 3 out of 5

Review: I had zero knowledge coming into this of what it was about other than a trumpet playing swan based on the title. Was pleasantly surprised by how delightful it was. Louis and his adventures were quite entertaining and I thoroughly enjoyed how each small separate section of his adventures was interwoven into the bigger picture, something that lacked in another novel by White. Thoroughly entertaining and a good time all around although I will say that it did end up dragging out longer than it needed to which is the only reason for the lower rating.