The Trumpet of the Swan, by E.B. White should be on every child’s bookshelf, from the age of 3. It’s a great read-aloud book, and it has very strong messages about honesty, loyalty, friendship, love, and faithfulness.
Louis, a Trumpter Swan, is born without a voice — the greatest handicap possible for these majestic and endangered birds. A boy attending summer camp befriends the young bird, and Louis goes to the boy’s school to learn to write so that he can communicate with others. Unfortunately, the other swans can’t read. So Louis’s father steals a trumpet from a music store to give his son a chance to express himself. Louis learns to play his trumpet, but he is haunted by the fact that his father sacrificed his honour to give him a voice. He determines to pay the store for his trumpet and to restore his father’s dignity and honour.
The story of Louis reverberates with perseverance in the face of extreme hardship, the importance of personal character, and the hope that true friendship can bring. It’s a wonderful story for kids and adults alike, and everyone will find themselves caught up in Louis’s trials and tribulations as he tries to earn his way in a human-centered world.