The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White

The Trumpet of the Swan follows the life of Louis, a trumpeter swan born without a voice who eventually learns how to overcome this difficulty and live a happy life.

The book begins in the Canadian wilderness in 1968. A nature-loving boy named Sam Beaver joins his father on their yearly summer camping trip. However, this year is different as Sam discovers two Trumpeter Swans at a nearby pond. He enjoys watching the pair and realizes they have a nest of eggs. Content with merely watching from a distance, Sam’s carefulness pays off one day. He saves the mother swan and her eggs from a hungry fox looking for a feast. Grateful for his kindness, the father swan later takes the newly hatched baby swans to meet Sam. They all happily chirp “Hello”, except for one little swan. He does not chirp at Sam as the rest of the babies do. He instead says “Hello” by pulling on Sam’s shoelace. This little swan is Louis.

As time goes by, it’s clear to Louis and his parents that he was born “without a voice” and it simply will not show up as he grows older. His parents worry about how this will affect him in someday finding a mate. Louis himself becomes worried when he falls in love with a young swan named Serena and cannot communicate with her.

Sam and Louis become dear friends, with Sam even promising to help Louis find a way to communicate with his fellow swans. Louis’s father also takes action to help his son but in a very different way. Both events have a large impact on Louis, his life, and his journey to finding his voice.

Reading Level: 7-10 years old
Read A Loud Age: 5+

“The world is full of talkers, but it is rare to find anyone who listens. And I assure you that you can pick up more information when you are listening than when you are talking.”

This quote has stuck with me since our family first read The Trumpet of the Swan three years ago. Perhaps that was the message E.B White wanted to get across to young readers over fifty years ago when this book was first released. Like its famous counterpart, Charlotte’s Web, The Trumpet of the Swan still holds relevancy even today and is a delight to both children and parents.

Listening over talking. Kindness over nastiness. Two things our world needs to better cultivate.

The Trumpet of the Swan is a beautifully enchanting book, but I would advise parents to make sure to share the positive themes in a biblical manner. Love is the major motivation for Louis. It drives him to do great things. However, our world twists what love truly is and uses it as a motivation to sin. One could easily look at love in this book and say “Love conquers all.” Let us as Christian parents expand on that and remind our children that it isn’t man’s love that conquers or endures all things, but the love of God.

This review was written by Good Book Mom contributor, Kal-le. To learn more about Kal-le, click HERE.

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