WQED's Rick Sebak shares 'Charlotte's Web' in upcoming reading

Rick Sebak of WQED will read aloud the beloved children's tale “Charlotte's Web” from 10 a.m. to noon June 20 at Soergel Orchards McIntosh Hall in Wexford as part of the PBS initiative “The Great American Read.”

According to a news release, the initiative is an eight-part series aimed at keeping kids - and adults - in reading mode over the summer.

Told through the prism of America's 100 best-loved novels (chosen through a national survey), the program explores and celebrates the power of reading.

It also investigates how and why writers create their fictional worlds, how their stories affect readers, and what the books have to say about America's diverse nation and our shared human experience, the release adds.

“Charlotte's Web,” written by American author E.B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams, was published in 1952 and earned a place on the top 100 in the survey.

The classic children's story tells the tale of a livestock pig named Wilbur and his friendship with a barn spider named Charlotte. When Wilbur is in danger of being slaughtered by the farmer, Charlotte writes messages praising Wilbur (including “Some Pig”) in her web in order to persuade the farmer to let him live.

The reading will stream live on WQED's Facebook site and there will be a selfie area for an online contest to post event photos.

Mary Pickels is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-836-5401 or mpickels@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MaryPickels.