The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I had of course come across both Stewart Little and Charlotte’s Web before in my life, but I had never come across EB White’s The Trumpet of the Swan.
All three novellas were in a single collection at my local used bookstore and I was about to finish reading Hunger Games aloud to my kids, so I knew I needed something long.
I read the stories in order and finished with Trumpet, a real gem of a story.
Louis is a trumpeter swan born with a disability. He is mute. He cannot make the typical sounds a trumpeter swan can make. His father worries greatly about Louis’s ability to be typical in the future.
His father takes a big risk and gets his son a real trumpet that Louis learns to play. He plays so well that he gets hired as a trumpeter.
The story really reinforces the importance of being able to play music. Louis grows quite famous for his talent, but the music is more important than the fame.
They boy who comes to know and help Louis is also an inspiration. His name is Sam Beaver and he is a real lover of animals.
My kids, of course, pointed out the lack of reality in the story, but who cares?! They didn’t. Louis’s story is so fantastic and cool.
It is hard to say which of EB White’s classic stories my kids more enjoyed, but both Trumpeter of the Swan and Charlotte’s Web ranked a little higher than Stuart Little.