Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White was, honestly, not a book I was too interested in reading. I am a big fan of the author, loving, of course, Charlotte's Web. Louis, the main character in the story, is a swan, and I have to be honest about this, I'm just not that big a fan of birds, swans, geese...
I decided to read it anyway and I loved the story. I'll do my best not to summarize... Louis is a swan born without a voice, or the ability to trumpet. This is very important to do because as a swan, this is the means to finding a mate. Since Louis does not have a voice, and feels he needs to go to school. He will then learn to read and write and this will enable him to communicate via a chalkboard around his neck. His friend, Sam Beaver, whom Louis meets while Sam is camping with his father, helps Louis get into school. Louis knows he's different and he feels that if he can learn to read and write, this will have to make do since he cannot trumpet. .
What I really enjoyed about this story is the vocabulary. There were words I didn't know, but could figure out with context clues. This wouldn't be a story I would read to my Kindergarten class, but kids in grades 3 and above would enjoy it as a read aloud. Again, the text is so rich with vocabulary, teachers would be able to call attention to many "power" words.
What I think is the most important lesson students can get out of reading/listening to this story is about how it is to be different. All kids are different and having Louis the Swan as a model shows that it's okay if you're not like everyone else. Louis' life isn't an easy one, though he does live a happy and fulfilled life. It's the events which gets Louis to the contentment that's important.
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