The Trumpet of the Swan

About this book

In E.B. White's 1970 fantasy, Louis is a trumpeter swan born without a voice. Unable to trumpet to win the swan he loves, he learns to read and write, then masters a real brass trumpet — playing in nightclubs and summer camps to earn the money to win her over. A tender story about finding your own way to be heard.

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See all books like The Trumpet of the Swan→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Middle Grade Fantasy title, typically at grades 3–6. Written in the 1970s; pairs with curriculum units on perseverance and family; cited across 3 curriculum frameworks.

Where this book is assigned

• Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award

  • recommended·3rd grade · Oklahomasource: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025
  • recommended·4th grade · Oklahomasource: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025
  • recommended·5th grade · Oklahomasource: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025
  • recommended·6th grade · Oklahomasource: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025

• William Allen White Children's Book Award

  • recommended·3rd grade · Kansassource: William Allen White Children's Book Award (Emporia State University) — Kansas's statewide children's-choice program (est. 1952; students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1953-2025 per the William Allen White Award record.
  • recommended·4th grade · Kansassource: William Allen White Children's Book Award (Emporia State University) — Kansas's statewide children's-choice program (est. 1952; students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1953-2025 per the William Allen White Award record.
  • recommended·5th grade · Kansassource: William Allen White Children's Book Award (Emporia State University) — Kansas's statewide children's-choice program (est. 1952; students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1953-2025 per the William Allen White Award record.
  • recommended·6th grade · Kansassource: William Allen White Children's Book Award (Emporia State University) — Kansas's statewide children's-choice program (est. 1952; students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1953-2025 per the William Allen White Award record.

• Young Hoosier Book Award

  • recommended·4th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award past winners, 1975 winner (General)
  • recommended·5th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award past winners, 1975 winner (General)
  • recommended·6th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award past winners, 1975 winner (General)
  • recommended·7th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award past winners, 1975 winner (General)
  • recommended·8th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award past winners, 1975 winner (General)

The Trumpet of the Swan by the numbers: pages, reading time and where it is listed, on Book Statistics.

Common questions

What grade level is The Trumpet of the Swan?

The Trumpet of the Swan is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–6. It appears on 3 school reading lists across 3 states, from grade 3 to grade 8. Exact placement varies by school and district.

How long does it take to read The Trumpet of the Swan?

It takes about 4h 35m to read The Trumpet of the Swan (251 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 275 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign The Trumpet of the Swan?

The Trumpet of the Swan appears on reading lists for Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award, William Allen White Children's Book Award, Young Hoosier Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is The Trumpet of the Swan banned in schools?

The Trumpet of the Swan does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.

What themes does The Trumpet of the Swan explore?

Central themes in The Trumpet of the Swan include perseverance, family, courage, nature, animals.