The Extraordinary Life of Anna Swan

by Anne Renaud

On a balmy August morning in 1846, a child was born to Ann and Alexander Swan in the couple’s small wood cabin in Millbrook, Colchester County, Nova Scotia. This in itself was not odd, as home was where babies were most often born in the mid-19th century. What was surprising, however, was that Anna Swan weighed an amazing 6 kilograms (13 pounds) – almost twice the size of an average newborn.

Anna Swan grew to an astonishing size – nearly 2.5 metres (almost 8 feet) tall. She was billed as “The Nova Scotia Giant Girl” at P.T. Barnum’s American Museum in New York. But despite her unusual and challenging physical attributes, she rose above adversity and led a life of love, happiness and great accomplishments. This is her remarkable story.

Genres: Nonfiction

51 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Anne Renaud is a life-long Quebecker. She received her Bachelor of Translation from Concordia University in Montreal. Anne is the author of several picture books, as well as historical non-fiction books for children, including, A Bloom of Friendship: The Story of the Canadian Tulip Festival, Island of Hope and Sorrow: The Story of Grosse Île, Pier 21: Stories from Near and Far, and Into the Mist: The Story of the Empress of Ireland. Her work has been nominated for several awards, including the Silver Birch Award, the Hackmatack Children’s Choice Award, the Red Cedar Book Award, the Red Maple Award and the Quebec Writers’ Federation Prize for Children's & Young Adult Literature. Anne is also a regular contributor to children’s magazines, such as Highlights, Pockets, Cricket, Odyssey, Faces, Clubhouse and Shine. Anne's readers often ask her why she writes books. She tells them it is because she likes to do creative things and she finds writing to be a very creative exercise. It’s also because she can’t dance well and she can’t sing well, so she tries her best at writing well. She hopes her books educate, entertain and inspire children.

Reviews

[Teresa Bateman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna Swan was a remarkable woman, and not just because of her height. Born large, she kept growing until she nearly reached 8 feet tall. This might have set her up for a future as a sideshow freak, but Anna was an intelligent and motivated woman. Yes, she worked for P.T. Barnum, but all who knew her commented on her grace, intelligence, and kindness. This book gives an interesting overview of her life, with lots of photographs and anecdotes. The author paints a picture of a real woman playing the hand she was dealt with grace and dignity, and never losing control of her own life. The fact that Anna found love with a man nearly her own height adds a joyful touch to the story. Now, admittedly, the author paints a rosy picture of what was basically a sideshow existence, but she tells it with an authentic voice and bases her opinion on research. The result is a fascinating peek into the life of an interesting woman who may have been known for being a "giantess" but was clearly much much more.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the very interesting and amazing true story of the life of the famous Nova Scotia giantess, Anna Swan. Actual photography is included, along with images of newspaper clippings. After travelling with BT Barnum, she married and settled in Ohio. Although Anna always tried to make the best of things, her life was sometimes very difficult.

[Sarah N · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never heard of Anna Swan before picking up this light read, but am so happy to have learned about her life. A giantess who spent her time traveling, entertaining, and enjoying time with family and friends, Swan serves as a wonderful role model for youth who may be struggling to accept themselves or others as they are. Well written and featuring beautiful historic photographs, this book would be a wonderful read for youth in or out of the classroom. For teachers, the author has facilitated learning through the inclusion of a timeline and lexicon that any student will appreciate. This is a must-read for the youth in your life!

[Brenda Noonan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting.

[Skye · Rating 2 out of 5]

More like extraordinarily boringggg

[Lindsy C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an interesting non-fiction read. I became completely engrossed with Anna's life story!