E.B What??

In attempting to fulfill my girlhood fantasy of reading actual literature to my children, Julia, Savanna and I have been reading Charlotte's Web before bed. (Not that there is anything wrong with "No, David," or "The Berenstein Bears and the Messy Room," or "Elmo's Look and Find." We like those, too.)

 I can trace this fantasy straight to the source: my mom read us hundreds of books growing up and created at least 4 out of 5 avid, can't-put-my-book-down-even-at-the-dinner-table, "can-we-please-please-please-go-to-the-library," standing-in-the-bathroom-reading-when-I'm supposed-to-be-in-the-shower, completely obsessed readers. I am hoping to make similar monsters out of my children. Charlotte's Web is only the beginning.

After we read our two chapters for the night, I was looking at the synopsis about E.B. White at the back:

"E.B. White was born in Mount Vernon, New York, and graduated from Cornell University. His writings appeared for many years in The New Yorker magazine.

He was awarded the 1970 Laura Ingalls Wilder for his children's book "Stuart Little" and "Charlotte's Web," and his third book for children, "The Trumpet of the Swan," also won several awards. The author of seventeen books of prose and poetry, Mr. White received many distinguished literary honors. In 1973 he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters."

Apparently I skipped over the first "his" and "he" in the mini-biography, because it wasn't until I got to the "Mr. White" part that I about panicked. Um, did that just say Mister White? Wait a second...  E.B. White is a DUDE?

A quick wikipedia look-up confirmed the shock: Elwyn Brooks White is indeed a man. Who stinking knew?

here he is, that son of a gun...

I'm not sure if it's the seemingly girl-centricity of Charlotte's Web  that lead me to my mistaken conclusion. I mean, Charlotte's the main character, and she's a girl. So is Fern. (Wilbur's a boy, but let's face it, he does seem a little girlish in all his whiny, "I don't want to die," clinginess.) Or does this goes back to the time that I thought that Dr. Seuss was the Cat in the Hat himself? I mean, did I actually think that Charlotte wrote the book, and that's why I assumed E.B. White must be a woman? Where did I go wrong? And, more importantly: Am I totally alone here?

This strange bit of unwelcome information has spurred some introspection. Has my life-long obsession with reading caused me to be so oblivious that I have assumed for years (and years and years) the totally wrong thing? Well, obviously, in this case, yes. But is there anything else I'm missing out on? President Obama is still the president, isn't he? No one can stand the Kardashians, right? No one uses cell phones to make actual phone calls anymore, do they?

If there is anything that you think I should know that maybe I do not, please tell me. I promise I will put my book down as soon as I finish this chapter and listen to what you have to say.