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E.B. White's "Trumpet of the Swan" Worth Reading

© Robert Powers

The best children’s books not only appeal to youngsters, but captivate their parents as well. One of the great writers who wrote frequently for children, E.B. White, also co-authored the guide to good grammar, The Elements of Style, which most writers consult.

I have been familiar with White’s Charlotte’s Web. Our children enjoyed both the book and the 1973 film version, which continues to be exposed to new audiences by virtue of frequent, re-runs on television. A couple of years ago, I read Stuart Little, the delightful story about a mouse living in the 1930s. Easily read in one sitting, Stuart Little overwhelmed me with its charm and wit. I had no trouble in confronting a mouse who wore clothes and could speak. That’s the charm of children’s books: fantasy and fact can mix in a perfect blend.

Another of White’s book has been published in a handsome edition with excellent new illustrations by Fred Marcellino. The Trumpet of the Swan (HarperCollins, $16.95) tells the simple but profound story of a swan named Louis, who arrives in the world without a voice. That’s not what a trumpeter swan expects and his parents tell him that he’s different, but his father will get help.

Louis goes to school and does well with his reading and writing. But when he sees the beautiful swan named Laura, he’s totally smitten. But she rebuffs him, saying she doesn’t wish to become close to a swan without a voice. Dad comes to the rescue by supplying Louis with a real trumpet.

OK, in bare print, it sounds kind of silly. Fear not, it’s a delightful tale, told with a sure hand that will keep new readers turning pages far after nightfall.

With Christmas almost upon us, picking up a copy of The Trumpet of the Swan will make a perfect gift, no matter if the recipient, either young or old.

SPANISH DELIGHT -- Javier Marias has become one of the most admired writers in Spanish. New York publisher New Directions has been releasing Marias books in translation. So far I’ve read three, and all have been crafted with great care.

A Heart So White starts with one of the most mesmerizing first chapters that I’ve seen in awhile. With such a startling beginning (I won’t give it away), a natural decline in one’s rapt attention is inevitable. But don’t give up; Marias has the ability to pull the reader along as he unveils the hearts and minds of a cast of intriguing characters.