The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White is one of my all time favorite books. I read it to the girls when they were elementary school age and Grant was about four. Chloe was too little to enjoy it. I decided we needed to read it again, and I'm so glad I did! White's fictional story about a boy named Sam Beaver who lives in Montana has already taught us quite a bit about trumpeter swans. Sam watches quietly while a cob and his mate hatch their eggs on a pond in Canada. Sam befriends the swan family and notices that the littlest male cygnet, named Louis, cannot say "Ko-hoh!" for the cygnet is mute. Louis later finds Sam in Montana and goes to school with him. Since nature has not given Louis a voice, he wants to learn to read and write in order to communicate. White has done an excellent job of blending a wonderful fiction story with facts about trumpeter swans living on Red Rocks Lake in Montana.
Facts About Trumpeter Swans
1. Trumpeter swans get their name from their trumpet-like call.
2. The mute male swan is typically found in city parks and is native to Eurasia.
3. Males are cobs. Females are pens. Babies are cygnets.
4. Cygnets are born gray in color and by the time they are one year old, they are pure white with black feet and black bill.
5. Male trumpeter swans can weigh anywhere from 21 to 32 pounds.
6. Trumpeter swans can be found in Yellow Stone National Park.
2. The mute male swan is typically found in city parks and is native to Eurasia.
3. Males are cobs. Females are pens. Babies are cygnets.
4. Cygnets are born gray in color and by the time they are one year old, they are pure white with black feet and black bill.
5. Male trumpeter swans can weigh anywhere from 21 to 32 pounds.
6. Trumpeter swans can be found in Yellow Stone National Park.
