The Revised Charlotte's Web, Trump Edition

Chapter 1

"Where's Papa going with that ax?" asked Fern as they sat for breakfast.

"To kill the runt of the litter." Mother answered. "Some pigs were born last night."

"Good." Said Fern. "No one different can amount to much, anyway. Can I have some more bacon?"

The End

With apologies to E.B. White, but really, what's going on in the USA politically is so contrary to the values we want our children to have, to the values our best children's books hold, to the best in each of us. 

If we don't speak up, if we allow this prejudice and fear and hatred of others to take root, it's not much of a stretch to think that children's books will soon echo that prejudice and fear and hatred of others. We cannot let that happen. 

The above is not the version of Charlotte's Web I want to see happen. I want Fern to have compassion, and empathy, and kindness.  I want children (and heck, adults) to have those qualities, too. I want Wilbur to not just live, but thrive, and be valued. I want friendship between those who are different (like Wilbur and Charlotte) to not just be possible, but to matter. 

And I want this for our world, too.

In times of darkness, light matters more than ever. The light in me recognizes and acknowledges the light in you,
Lee