Title: The Trumpet of the Swan
Author: E.B. White
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: 1970
Source: My TBR Pile
Pages: 272
Literary Awards:
Sequoyah Book Award (1973)
National Book Award Finalist for Children's Books (1971)
Synopsis:
Like the rest of his family, Louis is a trumpeter swan. But unlike his four brothers and sisters, Louis can't trumpet joyfully. In fact, he can't even make a sound. And since he can't trumpet his love, the beautiful swan Serena pays absolutely no attention to him.
Louis tries everything he can think of to win Serena's affection--he even goes to school to learn to read and write. But nothing seems to work. Then his father steals him a real brass trumpet. Is a musical instrument the key to winning Louis his love?
My Thoughts:
This was such a cute story about a trumpeter swan named Louis who is born without a voice or the ability to "Ko-hoh!" When he is born in the wilds of Canada, he greeted a boy named Sam by pulling on his shoelaces, starting a lifelong friendship. When Louis is a little older, he searches out Sam's school determined to learn to read and write. From that point on he carries a small chalkboard and chalk pencil around his neck to communicate with people. But the swan he falls in love with cannot read so Louis' father does the unthinkable and steals a trumpet from a music store. Louis is not only determined to learn to play the trumpet but also pay back the store for the trumpet and the damages done when his father flies through the window of the music store. Thanks to Sam, he gets a job as a bugle boy at a boy's camp in Canada. From there he travels to Boston and Philadelphia mastering the trumpet so he can woo his beloved Serena.
I loved stories like this as a kid. There's always something to learn from animals, whether anthropomorphized or in their natural state and habitat. They show us our own flaws and failures or how we can be better human beings and inhabitants of this beautiful planet.
I loved stories like this as a kid. There's always something to learn from animals, whether anthropomorphized or in their natural state and habitat. They show us our own flaws and failures or how we can be better human beings and inhabitants of this beautiful planet.
I've wanted to read the The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White for awhile now, but haven't read it yet... When I saw your review of The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White, I immediately read. Nice review!! You cannot go wrong with am E. B. White novel.
ReplyDeleteHappy reading!