The True Tale of a Giantess

August 1, 2018
A small, illustrated biography of a giant woman.Anna Swan was born in Nova Scotia in 1846, and an author's note explains she likely had "a rare medical condition called pituitary gigantism" that caused her to grow to nearly 8 feet. The story is written in the first person, a dubious choice for biography, but the point of view infuses the narrative with a sense of intimacy. From her birth, Anna is a spectacle in her rural community, where her family is credited with accepting and protecting her. "All the more to love," her parents are quoted as saying of her, though there's no direct citation for this dialogue, nor for any other quotations in the book, which could exacerbate concerns about the book's nonfiction credibility. The strong foundation Anna receives from them helps her confidently set out into the world with a man she calls Mr. Barnum, who includes her in his Gallery of Wonders with other people with unusual physiques. An unfortunate, insensitive simile likens two men with gigantism to "totem poles," and a later introduction of Anna's husband, Martin Van Buren Bates, calls him the "Kentucky Mountain Giant" but fails to mention he was a Confederate soldier. Despite these missteps, there's much to admire in this tribute to Swan, not the least of which are detailed mixed-media illustrations; done with a delicate folk-art sensibility, they depict Anna and her world as an all-white one.A spare telling of a big life. (Picture book/biography. 5-8)

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August 1, 2018
Grades 1-3 Anna Swan was born in Nova Scotia at a whopping 13 pounds, and her remarkable size only grew more astonishing. She towered above other children, and by age 12, over her parents as well, finally leveling off at just under eight feet tall. Lafrance's rustic illustrations favor cottage blue and sage, perfectly complementing Anna's rural roots and early celebrity at county fairs. Renaud frequently compares Anna's height with her surroundings?Queen Anne's lace, hay bales, a rain barrel?which may not be ready references for city kids but bring Anna's world to life. Eventually, she joined P. T. Barnum's Gallery of Wonders in New York City, where she performed with others who didn't quite fit into the conventional world, including tiny Minnie Warren, Lavinia Warren's sister. Anna narrates her own story in this swift biography, accessibly relaying the many ups and downs of her life, with additional information appended. Like the people of Anna's day, young readers' curiosity will be sparked by her unusual size, but they'll also relate to the theme of finding a place to fit in.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)