The Trumpet of the Swan facts for kids
First edition
|
|
| Author | E. B. White |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Edward Frascino Fred Marcellino (2000 edition) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Harper & Row (US) Hamish Hamilton (UK) |
|
Publication date
|
1970 |
| Media type | Print (hardback and paperback) |
| ISBN | 0-06-440048-4 |
The Trumpet of the Swan is a popular children's novel. It was written by E. B. White and first published in 1970. The story is about a special trumpeter swan named Louis. Louis is born without a voice, which is a big problem for a swan! To overcome this, he learns to play a trumpet. He hopes this will help him win the heart of a beautiful swan named Serena.
Contents
Louis's Amazing Journey: The Story Begins
The story starts in the spring of 1968 in Canada. A male swan (called a cob) and a female swan (called a pen) are building their nest. They are trumpeter swans. They choose a small island in a pond for their summer home.
The swans get worried when Sam Beaver, an 11-year-old boy, starts visiting the lake. Sam is on a camping trip with his dad. He comes every day to watch the swans. The cob thinks human boys are dangerous.
One day, the pen steps away from her eggs. A fox tries to sneak up on her. Sam quickly chases the fox away. He saves both the female swan and her precious eggs. After this, the swans begin to trust Sam.
A Special Cygnet: Louis is Born
Soon, the swan eggs hatch. The baby swans are called cygnets. The proud cob leads his new family to Sam. Each cygnet chirps a greeting to Sam. But the youngest cygnet, Louis, cannot chirp. Instead, he gently pulls Sam's shoelace.
The adult swans soon realize something important. Louis is mute, meaning he cannot make any sound. This makes his parents very worried. They fear Louis will not be able to find a mate. Other swans use their loud trumpeting calls to find partners.
Louis's father promises to find a way for his son to communicate. At the end of summer, the swan family flies south. They go to their winter home at Red Rock Lakes in Montana.
Louis Learns to Read and Play Music
Louis decides he needs to learn to read and write. This way, he can communicate with others. He flies away from the refuge to visit his friend, Sam Beaver. The next morning, Sam takes Louis to school with him.
Louis is a natural at reading and writing! Sam buys him a small blackboard and chalk. Now Louis can write down what he wants to say. But there's still a problem. Other swans cannot read. So, Louis still feels lonely.
When Louis returns to Red Rock Lakes, he meets a young swan named Serena. He falls in love with her. But he cannot get her attention without a voice.
Louis's father remembers that trumpeter swans are named after the human musical instrument. He decides to get a trumpet for Louis. This trumpet will be Louis's new "voice." The cob crashes through a music store window in Billings, Montana. He steals a brass trumpet on a cord.
Louis's First Job and New Skills
Louis practices hard and learns to play the trumpet well. But Serena has already flown north for the summer. Louis doesn't want to face her yet. He feels guilty about the stolen trumpet.
Louis visits Sam on his ranch. Sam suggests that Louis get a job. He can earn money to pay for the trumpet and the broken window. Sam helps Louis find a job as a camp bugler. This is at Camp Kookooskoos, the boys' camp Sam attends.
To play more notes, Louis convinces Sam to help him. Sam carefully makes "fingers" by splitting one of Louis's webbed feet with a razor blade.
During the summer, Louis plays different calls like taps and reveille. He even writes a love song for Serena. He also becomes a hero! He earns a Lifesaving Medal for saving a drowning camper. By the end of summer, Louis has earned $100. He carries his money, slate, chalk, medal, and trumpet in a waterproof pouch around his neck.
Sam suggests Louis get a job with the Swan Boats in Boston. Louis flies across the country. He becomes an instant hit in Boston! He earns $100 a week and gets a private suite at the Ritz Hotel.
Love and a New Life for Louis
A nightclub in Philadelphia offers Louis even more money, $500 a week! He leaves Boston and moves to the Philadelphia Zoo temporarily. The zookeeper promises Louis will not be pinioned. This means his wing tip will not be cut to prevent him from flying away. Other swans at the zoo are pinioned.
One stormy night, Serena is blown off course. She lands in the Zoo's Bird Lake. Louis sees her! He plays "Beautiful Dreamer" on his trumpet. Serena is amazed by his song and all his interesting possessions. She falls in love with him.
When the zookeepers spot Serena, they try to clip her wings. Louis bravely attacks them! He convinces the Head Man to wait. Louis sends a telegram to Sam for help.
Sam comes to Philadelphia. He makes a deal with the Head Man. In every group of baby swans, there is often one that needs special care, just like Louis. If the Head Man lets Louis and Serena go free, they will donate one of their cygnets to the zoo every year.
Louis and Serena fly back to the Red Rock Lakes. Louis plans to live among other swans now. He no longer needs his slate to communicate. He writes an apology on the slate. He gives it and the money bag to his father.
His father flies back to the music store in Billings. The storekeeper is afraid the swan will break another window. He shoots the cob in the shoulder. But then he finds the note and the money! It's much more than the cost of the trumpet and the broken window.
Because the cob is a protected species, he is taken to a wildlife vet. His injury is treated. Once he recovers, he flies back to his family. Louis and Serena are waiting for him.
Many years later, Sam is about 20 years old. He is camping in Canada again. He hears a trumpet playing across the lake. He knows it must be Louis. Sam writes in his journal:
"Tonight I heard Louis's horn. My father heard it, too. The wind was right, and I could hear the notes of taps, just as darkness fell. There is nothing in all the world I like better than the trumpet of the swan."
Adaptations: The Story Comes to Life
The Trumpet of the Swan has been very successful. Because of this, it has been made into different forms.
Audiobook Version
The author, E.B. White, recorded himself reading the entire book. This recording was later released as an audiobook.
Music Inspired by the Book
In 1972, a composer named Benjamin Lees created a music piece. It was based on The Trumpet of the Swan. The Philadelphia Orchestra performed this piece. Louis is even mentioned as performing with this orchestra in the book!
Animated Film
An animated film based on the book was released in 2001. It was made by Rich Animation Studios. Nest Family Entertainment released it, and TriStar Pictures distributed it.
A Novel Symphony
In 2011, the book was adapted into a "novel symphony." This was a show for actors and an orchestra. Marsha Norman adapted the story. Jason Robert Brown composed and conducted the music. Famous actors like John Lithgow and Kathy Bates starred in it. This production is available on CD and for download.
