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The Trumpet of the Swan
by
Swan Song
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 re ...more
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 re ...more
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Paperback, 1st edition (US/CAN), 50th Anniversary Edition, 252 pages
Published
2000
by HarperTrophy
(first published 1970)
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Popular Answered Questions
Jo
I liked it too.
becky raymond
Being able to communicate with others and share his feelings. Good question.
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of The Trumpet of the Swan
Jul 18, 2012
Leslie
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
hardcore bitches who like swans (which is all of them)
This is the funniest shit, I swear. The humor in this book is surreal. The cob has me in stitches with his over-the-top florid speeches, but it's the little details that kill me. Like how nobody goes crazy when a bird learns how to read and write "catastrophe." Or like when Louis spends the night at the Ritz, he goes to take a shower and he draws the curtain. HE DRAWS THE CURTAIN. I'm like, LOUIS, YOU ARE A SWAN. You've been naked since the day you were hatched, and all the millions of times you
...more
I have no idea how I managed to not read this as a kid. It's way more fun than Stuart Little, not nearly as sad/good as Charlotte's Web, but almost as funny. Maybe funnier, actually. Just like in Charlotte's Web, E.B. ends the book with a calm, beautiful, somewhat embarrassing paragraph that I want to fall asleep under, and this time I printed it off and taped it to my wall so that I actually can. You can too:
http://tymelgren.com/trumpet%20of%20t... ...more
http://tymelgren.com/trumpet%20of%20t... ...more
Apr 13, 2013
Tamara
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-aloud-with-nicco
I'm re-reading this with my kid. I loved this book when I read it as a child. An all time childhood favorite. I really enjoy it now, especially all the literary and biblical references I didn't get when I was Nicco's age. I love the over the top flowery sentiments of Louis' father. It did seem much more exciting and dangerous when I was young, and I COMPLETELY missed the disturbing hipocrisy of Louis, the weak and defected cygnet among his siblings, agreeing to sell his own future weak offspring
...more
4.25-4.5 stars
If someone would have told me I’d have enjoyed a book discussing the life of a swan, then I would have been unsure such a book existed and hesitant to believe this sentence. Yet here we are. It doesn’t surprise me this book comes from the author who penned a book about a spider saving their BFF pig’s life.
I really enjoyed the fact that the author narrated this book. His voice is nice and I'd be willing to listen to another book that he narrated as he's better than some of the autho ...more
If someone would have told me I’d have enjoyed a book discussing the life of a swan, then I would have been unsure such a book existed and hesitant to believe this sentence. Yet here we are. It doesn’t surprise me this book comes from the author who penned a book about a spider saving their BFF pig’s life.
I really enjoyed the fact that the author narrated this book. His voice is nice and I'd be willing to listen to another book that he narrated as he's better than some of the autho ...more
“The sky," he wrote on his slate, "is my living room. The woods are my parlor. The lonely lake is my bath. I can't remain behind a fence all my life.”
― E.B. White, The Trumpet of the Swan
Love from childhood. ...more
― E.B. White, The Trumpet of the Swan
Love from childhood. ...more
I read this book to my kids at bedtime over a few months and I found kind of disappointing although my kids seemed to really like it. It's imaginative and has a few good characters (my personal favorite was Louis' dad), but I have several complaints:
1) The "romance" with Serena REALLY irritated me - not only was there nothing redeeming about her other than her looks, it was ridiculous that she "blew off course" while in Montana and just happened to end up at the Philadelphia zoo.
2) I had moral i ...more
1) The "romance" with Serena REALLY irritated me - not only was there nothing redeeming about her other than her looks, it was ridiculous that she "blew off course" while in Montana and just happened to end up at the Philadelphia zoo.
2) I had moral i ...more
The incomparable classic children's author, E.B. White, wrote not only a delightful fantasy in Charlotte's Web but also in this book, The Trumpet of the Swan. This book would be a wonderful read-aloud for young elementary students as well as a great chapter book for older elementary readers. Louis, a swan, is born without a voice. Yet through ingenuity and a touch of fantasy he finds ways to live a full life as well as woo the beautiful swan he falls in love with as he gets older. This book woul
...more
What a wonderful book! I’m a bit ashamed that I struggled to find an interest in even starting it and now in my forties this is my first experience with this gem. Thankfully, it was a read aloud with my kids. There is much to love and appreciate in this children’s classic including overcoming adversity, good work ethics, honesty, perseverance, unselfishness, honor, family, love, trust, and so much more.
*Side note: I’m still giggling about the Dad’s long monologues.
*P.S. The audio version is WOND ...more
*Side note: I’m still giggling about the Dad’s long monologues.
*P.S. The audio version is WOND ...more
Sep 27, 2014
El
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
20th-centurylit-late,
young-adult-n-kids
If I read this book as a child, I probably didn't make it very far. My reasoning would likely have been "It's no Charlotte's Web", one of my all-time favorite children's stories. "Where's Wilbur? Is Charlotte going to appear?" (view spoiler)
A young boy named Sam Beaver discovers some swans, one of whom is named Louis. Poor Louis is, as everyone likes to remind him, defective because he can't make swan-noises. But he doesn't let that ...more
A young boy named Sam Beaver discovers some swans, one of whom is named Louis. Poor Louis is, as everyone likes to remind him, defective because he can't make swan-noises. But he doesn't let that ...more
I typically don't review children's books here unless they are very long or very good. This book is both. I'm not sure how I escaped reading this as a child but I'm certain that I didn't because the story is unique and memorable. Louis, a trumpeter swan born without a voice, employs determination and smarts to remedy this obstacle and win the heart of his love, all the while embarking on adventures and working to right wrongs along the way. My 8 year old daughter said "this book teaches children
...more
I loved this book growing up and was a little afraid to re-read it for fear that the memory would not live up to the reality. But I needn't have worried....this is such a delightful fun story! Who could not fall in love with Louis the swan as he searches for a way to communicate since he was born without a voice. I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author. I loved every minute of it - it felt like grandpa telling me a story. A 5 star experience!!!
...more
What a treat to listen to this endearing and timeless story narrated by the author. It was quite a surprise, after downloading the book simply because the book cover shows a swan holding a trumpet under his wing. I loved Louie and his adventure.
Best first chapter of a book ever written.
My kids were all absorbed in this one! I was skeptical of a plot revolving around a swan who is a jazz artist, but I trust EB White to pull off whatever he attempts. And I was right to do so. We all loved how Louis the swan collected skills and experiences and equipment, until fate brought him just the opportunity he had been preparing for the whole time. We loved, and will add to our family vocabulary, the “beginning to look like a hippy” line that Louis uses to describe himself once he’s encum
...more
I thought it was very good. And I also thought that Louie was very funny! I liked how the story was about swans, because swans are very unusual animals to write about.👍
A story about overcoming adversity. How do you find a mate without a voice, if you are a swan? Your father knows to make speeches and eventually steals a trumpet for you. This is a zany story of a swan who can talk and play the trumpet.
I enjoyed the story and this was 75 pages too long. The book should have ended long before it did. The last scene with the father was so unnecessary and that part dragged.
There is something powerful about overcoming a handicap. Louis didn't get mad or lash out at ...more
I enjoyed the story and this was 75 pages too long. The book should have ended long before it did. The last scene with the father was so unnecessary and that part dragged.
There is something powerful about overcoming a handicap. Louis didn't get mad or lash out at ...more
Sep 22, 2008
C.
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
people who like swans, trumpets
Recommended to C. by:
my mom gave it to me for my birthday
So the swan named Louis, he went around with a slate because he didn't have any voice. And he tried so hard and but he couldn't talk. He got a trumpet and a slate, a gold medal for saving someone's life, and guess what? He got a money bag because his father stole the trumpet. That's it. It's a five star book because I liked it a lot. My favorite part is when he broke in the door and then the owner of the store came after him and he got the trumpet and he went away. I know that is stealing but th
...more
Another great children’s story! Appropriate for all ages 😁
Acquired: Purchased a used copy at a book/garage sale or thrift shop.
Reason for Reading: I've picked a bookshelf to randomly read my own books from this year and this is my first read from that shelf. This is a perennial favourite of mine.
I've read this several times now. Originally as a child, then as an adult, again as a read aloud to my eldest son, and now once more and the book still has not lost its charm for me. This is going to make a nice bedtime read for dh and ds and I'll be putting it ...more
Reason for Reading: I've picked a bookshelf to randomly read my own books from this year and this is my first read from that shelf. This is a perennial favourite of mine.
I've read this several times now. Originally as a child, then as an adult, again as a read aloud to my eldest son, and now once more and the book still has not lost its charm for me. This is going to make a nice bedtime read for dh and ds and I'll be putting it ...more
The Trumpet of the Swan is an absolutely fabulous book. All children, and parents of children should read it. Louis, a swan, was born without a voice. After becoming aware of this his father said: "Do not let an unnatural sadness settle over you, Louis. Swans must be cheerful, not sad; graceful, not awkward; brave, not cowardly. Remember that the world is full of youngsters who have some sort of handicap that they must overcome. You apparently have a speech defect. I am sure you will overcome it
...more
This was far better than Stuart Little in the fact it had an actually ending, but it wasn't as good as Charlotte's Web I thought. I really liked the parts with Boston and the Swan Boats (if you haven't been and need something family friendly to do...). Having ducks, I found this amusing too. Okay my ducks aren't swans, but maybe I can give them all trumpets and start a band.
...more
I love E.B. White, and Charlotte's Web is one of my all-time favorite children's books, but this book is just more dated than it needs to be. Or, more dated than I needed or wanted it to be. In one scene, the human protagonist, 10-year-old Sam Beaver, and a group of young boys gather before their new camp counselor, Mr. Brickle, and he announces to them:
"And now it's time for everybody to go to bed. You may take a swim before breakfast tomorrow, and you don't need to wear your swim trunks. Just ...more
"And now it's time for everybody to go to bed. You may take a swim before breakfast tomorrow, and you don't need to wear your swim trunks. Just ...more
I read this for the 2016 YA/MG Book Battle.
This was cute, but ultimately too self-conscious to appeal to me. I did love it when Louis, the swan who’s been accumulating possessions that hang around his neck, starts listing them off and then says “I’m beginning to look like a hippie.” But there’s no real tension in this book, Louis’s path is unhindered by serious challenges, and he even gets the girl swan of his dreams through an unrealistic weather contrivance. It’s all a little too easy. What wo ...more
This was cute, but ultimately too self-conscious to appeal to me. I did love it when Louis, the swan who’s been accumulating possessions that hang around his neck, starts listing them off and then says “I’m beginning to look like a hippie.” But there’s no real tension in this book, Louis’s path is unhindered by serious challenges, and he even gets the girl swan of his dreams through an unrealistic weather contrivance. It’s all a little too easy. What wo ...more
Somehow I missed this one growing up! Sadly, I think this is one of those times where that made a difference. I wasn't as willing to go with the implausible parts of a story that seems set in the real world. I wasn't sure I wanted to root for Louis and Serena. I am not sure I buy their love story!
And I didn't like (view spoiler). ...more
And I didn't like (view spoiler). ...more
From my memory, this books just comes off as my favorite E.B White book, but now that I think about that, I think I'll have to ponder on that a little bit longer.
This book was great, all I have to say. His works are classics for a reason. ...more
This book was great, all I have to say. His works are classics for a reason. ...more
Read at school to students..
Finished April 3rd..
Finished April 3rd..
None of the books I checked out from the library today felt right for this evening, so I browsed my personal bookshelf and The Trumpet of the Swan jumped out at me right away. As a child, I loved this book, but I haven't read it since the Battle of the Books in fifth grade. Some of the images were so vivid to fifth grade me, that they remained the same despite the 20 years that have passed: the cob flying into the music store and Louis asking Sam to slit his webbed feet were two that particularl
...more
Dec 09, 2009
Jeana
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Eric
Recommended to Jeana by:
Bianca Quigley
Shelves:
kids-books
Bianca says it's a tie between Trumpet of the Swan and Charlotte's Web for her favorite book. She "recommended" it to me after her third reading. And it was so worth it. This is a charming, remarkable little book about a mute swan who overcomes his difficulties and perseveres. I love how White takes real-life challenges and makes them fun and accessible with animals. I wish I had read this one as a child. I think it should be mandatory reading for all kids, along with Charlotte's Web of course.
...more
A humorous read with plenty of little details to inspire imagination. I liked Louis, I liked his dad, I liked his mom, Sam Beaver was all right. He might have been purposefully drawn a little vaguely in order to let the reader superimpose him/herself into the story in his place.
I didn't care for the fact that Sam never did tell his dad the secret he started keeping in Chapter One, and nothing ever came of it. It was a benign secret, but if you're going to introduce the idea that it's a-ok for k ...more
I didn't care for the fact that Sam never did tell his dad the secret he started keeping in Chapter One, and nothing ever came of it. It was a benign secret, but if you're going to introduce the idea that it's a-ok for k ...more
Absolutely adorable! Why did I never read this book as a kid? Seriously, it was so cute! What could be better than a Trumpeter swan who has a speech impediment and overcomes it by learning to read, write and, you guessed it, play the trumpet?? This is a coming-of-age story about a young swan--and it is just so much fun! The characters are fun, Louis is a treat, Louis' dad is hilarious, my kids LOVED listening to the story and couldn't wait until reading time!
...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Roe Reading ...: EB White | 2 | 2 | Jul 01, 2020 03:05PM | |
| Trumpet Lessons - The Real Secret to Trumpet Success | 1 | 1 | Mar 16, 2020 10:28AM | |
| Trumpet Lessons - The Real Secret to Trumpet Success | 1 | 1 | Mar 16, 2020 10:26AM | |
| Trumpet Lessons - The Real Secret to Trumpet Success | 1 | 1 | Mar 16, 2020 10:25AM | |
| The Trumpet of the Swan | 1 | 3 | Jan 02, 2020 02:16PM | |
| talking | 1 | 2 | Sep 07, 2017 12:01PM |
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Elwyn Brooks White was a leading American essayist, author, humorist, poet and literary stylist and author of such beloved children's classics as Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan. He graduated from Cornell University in 1921 and, five or six years later, joined the staff of The New Yorker magazine. He authored over seventeen books of prose and poetry and was elected to t
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