Review - The True Tale of a Giantess: The Story of Anna Swan

The True Tale of a Giantess: The Story of Anna Swan
by Anne Renaud
illustrated by Marie Lafrance
Date: 2018
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: hardcover
Source: library

"When I was small, I was already big news," Anna Swan tells readers in this picture book biography. When she was born in Nova Scotia in 1846, people for miles around chattered about her. They whispered over tea and gossiped across fences. Because even when she was small, Anna was TREMENDOUS. At four years old, she was higher than a rain barrel. At six, she was taller than her mother, and by ten she towered over her father. Anna grew up feeling like she poked and bulged and jutted out from all sorts of spaces, never quite fitting into her small country life. Then, at age seventeen, Anna moved to New York City to be part of P. T. Barnum's Gallery of Wonders --- and her life changed forever. Anna Swan lived an inspiring life as big as she was, filled with fame, wealth, world travel and true love.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Here's a lovely picture-book biography about an extraordinary woman. Anna Swan was affected by gigantism. She worked for P. T. Barnum, travelled the world, and even found true love.

I don't think I'd heard of Anna Swan before reading this book, but her story is quite engaging. Constrained by the societal mores of the time (she was born in the 1840s), she found a way to live an exciting life on her own terms. As soon as she was old enough, she moved to New York City to work with P. T. Barnum. In the course of her travels, she met Queen Victoria, and eventually found love with another very tall person: Martin Van Buren Bates.

I'm not sure if I loved the pictures, but they helped tell the story well enough. I did enjoy the biographical info and photos at the back of the book; they help to flesh out the story a little more.

Overall, this is a strong picture-book biography of a very unique woman. It's easy to read, and the text makes it easy to be engaged by Anna's fascinating life. Fans of picture-book biographies will want to check this one out.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.83 out of 5