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Now, about those additions … The book doesn't have the action to sustain a film like Babe did, so they've created some—primarily involving Templeton, journeying into his rat-hole, or else going on junkyard missions to retrieve words for Charlotte's work. This introduces two new characters—a pair of crows voiced by Thomas Haden Church (Sideways) and André Benjamin (Outkast) intent on catching themselves a rodent. It generally works, even if it does feel a little tacked on.

But why some of the other changes? Beau Bridges appears as Doctor Dorian, who in the book was used to drive home some of the themes about maturity and miracles, but here his speeches are somewhat abbreviated, so that his wonderful insights lose some of their punch. Some details have been changed too. In the book, the Zuckermans lived "down the road" from the Arables, making Fern's visits special—another act of love on her part. In the movie, they literally live across the street, so why wouldn't Fern visit the farm every day? Why would it be considered odd to spend time in the equivalent of her backyard?

Wilbur and his barnyard friends

The film tries really hard at humor, and succeeds with some clever transitions—like cutting from Wilbur to bacon frying in a pan. But overall, the laughs are more of the Saturday morning cartoon variety than the clever all-ages humor one might hope for. The cows pass gas, they suck up their drool, Templeton burps—eh, but kids love it and this is a barn, right? I was more frustrated with forced jokes, like Zuckerman's farmhand Lurvy, who seems to read fine in one scene, but misreads Charlotte's writing as "So Me Pig" in another. Or Templeton breaking a rotten egg and then running out of the bard chiding, "Last one out is a rotten egg … well, I thought it was funny." Lame.

Ah, but the film's saving grace is that it takes subtle themes from the book and runs with them fully, pumping up the dialogue with some excellent life lessons that work well with Christian beliefs, making this an ideal movie parable for kids. The most obvious example is Zuckerman's heartfelt speech toward the end about finding miracles in the ordinary and the everyday. Also, consider Charlotte's final word used to describe Wilbur, and how it inspires Zuckerman and his fellow townsfolk. And there's Wilbur showing compassion to "the least of these" by forging a friendship with a reviled spider. Charlotte in turn selflessly dedicates her life to save that of another, so that he might live to see Christmas. "Should I worry?" asks Wilbur. "Of course not," the spider calmly responds, "what good would that do?" The Arables are shown going to church, Charlotte offers grace before a meal. Am I stretching? Even the wording for the movie poster's tagline is interesting: "Help is coming from above."

This movie never quite does full justice to White's book, and it may simply be a story that's stronger on the written page. But little gripes aside, it's terrific—or radiant, pick your own word from the web—and bound to satisfy the intended audience … perhaps communicating something even deeper than expected to a new generations.

1. What is the nature of miracles? Are they always "big" things? Can they appear in the small, ordinary and trivial? How does God work them into our lives? Any personal examples
2. Some would suggest that Wilbur does nothing in this story, that he sits back while Charlotte works to save him. Do you agree? How does he demonstrate the qualities used to describe him? How do these qualities make him more appreciated in a practical way? How do they compare to Christian qualities
3. Think about the sacrifices Charlotte makes to save Wilbur. Does laying down one's life necessarily mean death? What does it really mean to show no greater love and live a life of self-sacrifice
4. What four (technically five) words are used to describe Wilbur in Charlotte's web? Which quality seems to be most important in saving his life and why? How is this quality demonstrated in the way he interacts with others? How does it mirror the way we're called to treat others as followers of Christ

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