Once I was a Giant | Zeno Sworder | Book Review

This thoughtful, beautifully illustrated book instills a sense of magic and hope, while acknowledging loss and renewal and their impacts on ecosystems. It’s a beautiful example of how trees anchor entire ecosystems, and what happens when trees are chopped down.

Review by Claire Davill

When a picture book writer runs out of stories, his pencil decides to tell him her own story… 

This book, from it’s beautiful fabric cover, to the whimsical, soft illustrations and thoughtful story, makes for an impactful tale that’s perfect for reading at bedtime. Younger kids will appreciate the illustrations and the story of a tree growing tall, providing a home to many creatures. Older children will appreciate the themes of ecology, deforestation, and renewal. It’s a book that can be enjoyed at multiple levels, and it’s a clever examination of what happens to trees when they are cut down – what is lost, and what is possible for the future. 

The story starts with a writer who is surprised when his pencil starts telling him their story – how they were once a tree that grew large, and how they were visited by a wanderer each season, and how this wanderer warned them of the machines that would cut them down.

The wanderer plants a new tree in the old stump, and the cycle continues. The story ends there – or does it? The final pages of the book contain no words, just illustrations of what the wanderer and the pencil do next. It’s a unique take on the storytelling process.

Our nine year old reviewer loved this book, and found great meaning in the story. Despite covering some heavy topics, the story is calm and gentle. It’s the perfect book to read to younger children, or for older children to read to themselves.

Once I was a Giant – written and illustrated by Zeno Sworder. Recommended for all ages.

Zeno Sworder is an Australian author and illustrator, based in Melbourne. This is his third picture book. To find out where to purchase I once was a Giant, visit the publisher’s website.

For more information and all enquiries please visit the Thames & Hudson website.

At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.

As per all our Play & Go reviews, this is not a sponsored post and our review is done completely independently. All photos are by Play & Go.

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