Before she became the "The Giantess from Nova Scotia" and travelled the globe with notorious showman P. T. Barnum, Anna Swan was a young girl growing up near the rural town of Tatamagouche, desperately trying to fit into a world for which she was literally too big. In her debut middle grade novel-in-verse, award-winning author Sidura Ludwig imagines a pivotal period in Anna's childhood, as she struggled to find acceptance in a community that saw her as other.
When twelve-year-old, seven-foot-tall Anna's family moves to her grandmother's farm in Central New Annan, she is forced to attend a new school, abandon the bedroom she once shared with her beloved sister, Maggie, and face bullies young and old. She worries she'll never stop growing, and dreams of dainty boots that fit and church pews that don't topple under her weight. Of a world that sees her as she sees herself: a gentle girl who loves to read books beneath the trees.
When Anna discovers a solution that will help her stop growing and get her family out of debt, she agrees to exhibit herself as a curiosity in the big city of Halifax. But her giant heart will be tested as she tries to balance her devotion to her family with her desire for normalcy.
A story of faith, family, and learning to love the body you're in, SWAN is a modern classic, an impeccably researched and brilliantly imagined story of a woman who has captivated the world for over two centuries. Features an author's note about the real Anna Swan chronicling Anna's later life, and the little that is known about why she grew so tall (almost 8 feet as an adult), as well as a brief history of the region where Anna grew up.
Author's note. "A Biography of Anna Swan," with photograph. History of the region.
Book Genres Biographical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Novels in Verse
Canadian Rights Yes
Dewey F
Title alpha Swan: The Girl Who Grew
Category PG Middle Plus
Pages Count 304
Topics Anna Swan (1846-1888). Tall people. Nova Scotia, Canada. Farm life. Families. Grandmothers. Bullies. Body image.
Trim Size 5 1/4" x 8 3/4"
JLG Span Spring
Language English
Rights type Print
Publication date 2025-03-03
JLG Release Date May 2025
Minimum grade 5
Maximum grade 8
Reading level Middle
Format Print
PG Middle Plus (Grades 5-8)
PG Middle Plus
PG Middle Plus (Grades 5-8)
For Grades 5-8
Designed for middle schoolers who love great storytelling but prefer a gentler reading experience, this 14-book collection offers entertaining and thought-provoking fiction without controversial themes. These selections ensure an enjoyable and appropriate reading journey for all.