by E. B. White
Flap copy description:
Louis is a trumpeter swan who comes into the world lacking a voice. His father explains to him that he is different from other cygnets and promises to help. Sam Beaver, a boy who respects all wild things, helps as well. He takes Louis to school, where Louis learns to read and write. But when Louis falls in love with a beautiful swan, Serena, and she spurns him because he is "defective," his father steals a trumpet so his son will be able to woo her. Determined to become a trumpeter and pay off his father's debt, Louis travels far from the wilderness and finds the voice that has always been in his heart.
My thoughts:
E. B. White is best remembered for authoring Charlotte's Web, and Stuart Little. The Trumpet of the Swan, although lesser known, is my favorite. The lyrical, somewhat poetic style which paints this story drew me into that magical place I always experience while in nature. In addition, the message; 'that being different doesn't have to be a handicap, merely a hurdle' is subtly woven into the text. Although this story is definitely for young readers; anyone who appreciates beautiful writing would enjoy this little gem.
(Mr. White contributed essays to the New Yorker Magazine for nearly six decades and co-authored the widely used writing guide, The Elements of Style - popularly known as Strunk & White.)
