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Swan: The Girl Who Grew
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 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.
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 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.
- GenresMiddle Grade
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2024
49 people want to read
About the author
Sidura Ludwig
7 books9 followersWriter. Story finder. Strong Tea Drinker. Challah baker.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 7, 2025
This was the first novel in verse that I've ever read, and I loved it!
This is a very thoughtful novel about the life of Anna Swan, who was born in Nova Scotia and grew to be 7'11". This story takes us through the reimagined life of Anna as she struggles with growing up and being different from the people around her. This novel is very sweet and beautifully written, and it has the most beautiful cover.
If you're looking to pick up a novel in verse, I highly recommend considering this one! The author is truly gifted and does an amazing job of painting a picture of what Anna's life may have looked like.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for letting me read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This is a very thoughtful novel about the life of Anna Swan, who was born in Nova Scotia and grew to be 7'11". This story takes us through the reimagined life of Anna as she struggles with growing up and being different from the people around her. This novel is very sweet and beautifully written, and it has the most beautiful cover.
If you're looking to pick up a novel in verse, I highly recommend considering this one! The author is truly gifted and does an amazing job of painting a picture of what Anna's life may have looked like.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for letting me read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
October 7, 2024
SWAN: The Girl Who Grew by Sidura Ludwig. Published by Nimbus Publishing and Vagrant Press
A sensitive and highly evocative re-imagining of the real-life Anna Swan who grew to 7’ 11” and was the focus of much unwanted and unwelcome attention in her small town. This is the story of 12-year old Anna before she became “The Giantess of Nova Scotia gaining fame as she travelled with P.T. Barnum.
A novel in verse. Tenderly written by a gifted author.
A story of faith and family and learning to love the body you are in and embracing the life you have been given.
A story of hope and compassion for anyone who has ever felt they didn’t “fit in” in this world. If we are being honest I believe all of us have felt that way at least one time or another.
A story of resilience and fortitude. As the story unfolds we get a glimpse into Anna’s strong sense of family loyalty and values and why she made choices for herself and used her uniqueness to benefit her family as they struggled to make ends meet.
There is sadness in this story, but it isn’t weighed down by it. In fact, this reader experienced the sadness, but came away with a stronger feeling of faith and family and overcoming life’s challenges. Reading the biography at the end of the book only comfirmed those feelings.
It is obvious the author researched well and thoroughly.
A sensitive and highly evocative re-imagining of the real-life Anna Swan who grew to 7’ 11” and was the focus of much unwanted and unwelcome attention in her small town. This is the story of 12-year old Anna before she became “The Giantess of Nova Scotia gaining fame as she travelled with P.T. Barnum.
A novel in verse. Tenderly written by a gifted author.
A story of faith and family and learning to love the body you are in and embracing the life you have been given.
A story of hope and compassion for anyone who has ever felt they didn’t “fit in” in this world. If we are being honest I believe all of us have felt that way at least one time or another.
A story of resilience and fortitude. As the story unfolds we get a glimpse into Anna’s strong sense of family loyalty and values and why she made choices for herself and used her uniqueness to benefit her family as they struggled to make ends meet.
There is sadness in this story, but it isn’t weighed down by it. In fact, this reader experienced the sadness, but came away with a stronger feeling of faith and family and overcoming life’s challenges. Reading the biography at the end of the book only comfirmed those feelings.
It is obvious the author researched well and thoroughly.
October 7, 2024
4.5 rounded up
A bittersweet novel told in verse about Anna Swan’s growth from girl to Giantess of Nova Scotia. Based on the true story of Swan’s childhood Ludwig takes some liberties with the details and in doing so paints such a vivid and wistful picture of what Swan might have felt and gone through. The poetry is beautiful, accessible and the way she tells this story is so compelling. We leave Anna Swan after her first exhibition with a hopefulness for what comes next and I didn’t want it to end. I wish I could have read her entire life story told from Ludwig’s imaginings, her family felt so real and her small town was populated with such vibrant characters. This is considered middle-grade but I found it incredibly engaging as an adult reader, too. I can see it easily enchanting readers of all ages.
A bittersweet novel told in verse about Anna Swan’s growth from girl to Giantess of Nova Scotia. Based on the true story of Swan’s childhood Ludwig takes some liberties with the details and in doing so paints such a vivid and wistful picture of what Swan might have felt and gone through. The poetry is beautiful, accessible and the way she tells this story is so compelling. We leave Anna Swan after her first exhibition with a hopefulness for what comes next and I didn’t want it to end. I wish I could have read her entire life story told from Ludwig’s imaginings, her family felt so real and her small town was populated with such vibrant characters. This is considered middle-grade but I found it incredibly engaging as an adult reader, too. I can see it easily enchanting readers of all ages.
September 2, 2025
I wanted to like this and had planned to add it to our school library.
I find the story moving and enjoyed it as an adult, but I struggle to justify freely putting it in our collection because there are some actions in the book that are not later explained as to why they are wrong. Ex: Anna being spanked by Jack’s dad or the use of racist language when Jack’s dad finds Anna with Isaiah.
I struggle because middle years books usually have follow up scenes naming what happened and explaining why the action was wrong, but this book did not follow up after these things happened.
I do find this novel of Anna Swan beautiful in that the reader can feel her pain through the words. She feels like an outcast and oddity and just wants to be “normal.” This book has value to kids in that way and could be a good read for a tween and adult to go through and discuss together. However, I cannot justify putting it in our library.
I find the story moving and enjoyed it as an adult, but I struggle to justify freely putting it in our collection because there are some actions in the book that are not later explained as to why they are wrong. Ex: Anna being spanked by Jack’s dad or the use of racist language when Jack’s dad finds Anna with Isaiah.
I struggle because middle years books usually have follow up scenes naming what happened and explaining why the action was wrong, but this book did not follow up after these things happened.
I do find this novel of Anna Swan beautiful in that the reader can feel her pain through the words. She feels like an outcast and oddity and just wants to be “normal.” This book has value to kids in that way and could be a good read for a tween and adult to go through and discuss together. However, I cannot justify putting it in our library.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. Based on the true story of Anna Swan who was born in Nova Scotia in the mid 1800’s. Anna was rumoured to weigh between 13 and 18 pounds when born, and grew to be 7’ 11” tall. Written in verse, the novel takes us on a fictional journey through Anna’s life. An intriguing and well written story.
October 12, 2025
While I'm personally not a super huge fan of novels in verse, this was well done and I think it holds an interesting place. Anna was very interesting, and this definitely felt like a neat period piece, and decently researched. I spent some time actually looking into the background after finishing, too, this is a good learning thing if nothing else.
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January 18, 2025I knew I would love this book as soon as I saw the first page, delighted to see the story is written in a poetic form--prose poetry--more effective than prose because poetry makes a reader pause and consider as they read. Significance is noted in line and verse breaks and extended thoughts, so one doesn't just rush through it to find out how it all ends. Every line is important. It is written mostly in blank verse with a few exciting exceptions, poems with different configurations; for example, the round poems on pages 225 and 228 which tell the story of Anna being examined by a group of doctors who treated her as a specimen.
I first saw Anna in representation in a Cape Breton museum when I was a young woman--a tall mannequin made in her image, sized to fit her wedding dress (a gift from Queen Victoria). She stood by her husband, a giant from Kentucky, and I marvelled that they found each other, both exhibited by P.T. Barnum.
This book tells only a short piece of Anna's life, four months of 1858, when she was twelve and six feet ten inches tall. It is written from her point of view, like a poetic diary. She tells her own story of being different, being made fun of, finding her way and finding we are all who we are, we all have gifts and misgivings, and as she says at the end, we are all still growing.
Luckily for Anna, she had a deeply supportive family, parents and grandparents who loved her exactly as she was and who did what they could to make her comfortable in her own home and her own skin. While this book is a piece of fiction, I believe the love of her family was real, for her story would not have been the same without them, and Ludwig makes it clear they were a large reason she was able to thrive as an oddity wherever she went.
I understand this book is used in schools to reinforce acceptance of human differences, and as it is written simply and matter-of-factly, it is accessible to upper elementary and junior high school readers. That said, it is also written beautifully and sensitively, a story to fascinate readers of any age. I am grateful Sidura Ludwig has brought Anna to life again, given her back to us as the poem she may not have known she was.
I first saw Anna in representation in a Cape Breton museum when I was a young woman--a tall mannequin made in her image, sized to fit her wedding dress (a gift from Queen Victoria). She stood by her husband, a giant from Kentucky, and I marvelled that they found each other, both exhibited by P.T. Barnum.
This book tells only a short piece of Anna's life, four months of 1858, when she was twelve and six feet ten inches tall. It is written from her point of view, like a poetic diary. She tells her own story of being different, being made fun of, finding her way and finding we are all who we are, we all have gifts and misgivings, and as she says at the end, we are all still growing.
Luckily for Anna, she had a deeply supportive family, parents and grandparents who loved her exactly as she was and who did what they could to make her comfortable in her own home and her own skin. While this book is a piece of fiction, I believe the love of her family was real, for her story would not have been the same without them, and Ludwig makes it clear they were a large reason she was able to thrive as an oddity wherever she went.
I understand this book is used in schools to reinforce acceptance of human differences, and as it is written simply and matter-of-factly, it is accessible to upper elementary and junior high school readers. That said, it is also written beautifully and sensitively, a story to fascinate readers of any age. I am grateful Sidura Ludwig has brought Anna to life again, given her back to us as the poem she may not have known she was.
December 31, 2024
There's an obvious reason for this book's title to be styled in upper case – the subject, Anna Swan, was a large lass. Way above six foot as a twelve year old, we see the family of her parents (mother pregnant yet again), sister and three brothers, decamp to her gran's farm, which is running down and under threat. Gran just declares Anna "good Highland stock" as if there's nothing wrong, but there is – with Anna and the newborn when she arrives. For Anna it is, of course, a world she barely fits in – her school desk has to be raised a whole foot for her to get her legs properly under it. And it's a life where she can't but be seen – whatever she thinks of a world where she's invisible, unremarkable, plainly ordinary, it ain't gonna happen. What's more unfortunate, though, even though one nasty experience of being an exhibit at a freak show has already happened, is that she seems drawn back to that world – and the world of nasty businessmen, and snake-oil merchants...
This seems to bend the truth a lot, as there is an included biography showing the real story, of both a decent wage and a marriage borne from being in PT Barnum's shows and exhibits. But for a look at a girl who stands out, and who queries God in a way most anathema to those around her in the 1850s – this is pretty much spot on. Dressed as one of those novels-in-verse, we don't get the usual interrupting page titles, we gain some concrete poetry of a kind later on, and we generally get a very succinct and nicely quotable look at Anna's mind. She proves on every page she is no "daftie", telling us her quandary, and showing us how alien it would be to never once remember seeing your mother's face from below.
It is of course a lesson in acceptance of others, of the out-of-the-ordinary. But in hanging from a real case study, and in never labouring its morals or modern sensitivities, it just entertains, and does so in a way happily making this much more of an emotional experience. I won't make a pun about 'looking up to' Anna, but we leave these pages with a hearty fondness for her. A strong four stars.
This seems to bend the truth a lot, as there is an included biography showing the real story, of both a decent wage and a marriage borne from being in PT Barnum's shows and exhibits. But for a look at a girl who stands out, and who queries God in a way most anathema to those around her in the 1850s – this is pretty much spot on. Dressed as one of those novels-in-verse, we don't get the usual interrupting page titles, we gain some concrete poetry of a kind later on, and we generally get a very succinct and nicely quotable look at Anna's mind. She proves on every page she is no "daftie", telling us her quandary, and showing us how alien it would be to never once remember seeing your mother's face from below.
It is of course a lesson in acceptance of others, of the out-of-the-ordinary. But in hanging from a real case study, and in never labouring its morals or modern sensitivities, it just entertains, and does so in a way happily making this much more of an emotional experience. I won't make a pun about 'looking up to' Anna, but we leave these pages with a hearty fondness for her. A strong four stars.
March 11, 2025
4.9 stars
a sweet and wonderfully well written MG novel in verse, respectfully covering disability and bullying, that is more than worth a read!
i have read few novels in verse, but this one is beautiful; with descriptive prose and good dialogue improving an already great base of writing. the final cherry on top is the writing in verse! i loved the verse, and it was never distracting, instead adding to the emotion of the book. all the characters feel realistic and fleshed out, like real people (though i know it is based off the real Anna Swan, i mean it in the writing way). the struggles, dreams, fears, and aspirations of the characters are very realized, particularly, Anna as she is the main characters of the book. Anna and Maggie are so sweet too!
i am also impressed by how this book manages so many themes, plot points, and character arcs in such a short amount of pages, and with so few words! very scene, and even word, feels like it should be there. the pacing isn't so fast things are left underdeveloped, or so slow its boring; a fairly even pace is maintained throughout. the story is told in four months (or about so), and though the themes and somewhat characters are segmented throughout them, everything is fully developed. the themes about disability, bullying, and accepting & standing up for yourself (i know it sounds cheesy here) are respectfully and delicately done; though it would be untrue to say it is subtle, it is far from directly stated in clear. overall, truly a hidden gem!
did i enjoy it? -yes!!
would i read it again? -yes
would i have read it knowing what i do after? -yes!
a sweet and wonderfully well written MG novel in verse, respectfully covering disability and bullying, that is more than worth a read!
i have read few novels in verse, but this one is beautiful; with descriptive prose and good dialogue improving an already great base of writing. the final cherry on top is the writing in verse! i loved the verse, and it was never distracting, instead adding to the emotion of the book. all the characters feel realistic and fleshed out, like real people (though i know it is based off the real Anna Swan, i mean it in the writing way). the struggles, dreams, fears, and aspirations of the characters are very realized, particularly, Anna as she is the main characters of the book. Anna and Maggie are so sweet too!
i am also impressed by how this book manages so many themes, plot points, and character arcs in such a short amount of pages, and with so few words! very scene, and even word, feels like it should be there. the pacing isn't so fast things are left underdeveloped, or so slow its boring; a fairly even pace is maintained throughout. the story is told in four months (or about so), and though the themes and somewhat characters are segmented throughout them, everything is fully developed. the themes about disability, bullying, and accepting & standing up for yourself (i know it sounds cheesy here) are respectfully and delicately done; though it would be untrue to say it is subtle, it is far from directly stated in clear. overall, truly a hidden gem!
did i enjoy it? -yes!!
would i read it again? -yes
would i have read it knowing what i do after? -yes!
December 6, 2024
Known as “The Giantess of Nova Scotia”, Anna Swan lived a compelling, complex and hopeful life. Born in the 1800’s in Nova Scotia, Canada, Anna was double the size of the standard baby. Measuring 4’6” at four years old and 7 feet tall at seventeen, Anna’s challenges at home and in public made for a hard life. Yet her bravery, tenacity and the love from her family surpassed her height. This middle grade historical fiction and novel-in-verse showcases the childhood of Anna Swan. The novel is broken into three months of Anna’s twelve-year-old life representing the relocation of her family to her grandmother’s farm, her attendance at a new school and the adversities of social circumstances as well as her own internal and external worlds. A moving and impactful story offering young readers the space to experience new feelings or connect with ones that they already relate to. This book can be used to demonstrate the power of exemplary women and their support systems. Wonderfully written, with fragility and humanity – Ludwig’s beautiful wordplay does justice to Anna’s life. In the back of the book readers will find a summarized biography, as well as an excerpt of the history of the region. Highly recommended.
Out Now! Thank you to @Netgalley and Nimbus Publishing for sharing an advanced digital copy with me to review. All opinions are my own.
Out Now! Thank you to @Netgalley and Nimbus Publishing for sharing an advanced digital copy with me to review. All opinions are my own.
December 1, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read SWAN: The Girl Who Grew. A fictionalized account of Anna Swan’s childhood, SWAN told tells the story of a big little girl in beautiful prose.
“If God created a perfect world/ in only seven days/ why don’t I fit anywhere?” Anna Swan is a girl who is too big for her shoes, clothes, and family’s cabin. An attraction everywhere she goes due to her size, she is kept grounded by her fierce grandmother and her little sister, Maggie. A middle-grade read I would recommend to anyone. A heartbreaking yet hopeful novel of a girl who can’t stop growing and the people who love her.
“If God created a perfect world/ in only seven days/ why don’t I fit anywhere?” Anna Swan is a girl who is too big for her shoes, clothes, and family’s cabin. An attraction everywhere she goes due to her size, she is kept grounded by her fierce grandmother and her little sister, Maggie. A middle-grade read I would recommend to anyone. A heartbreaking yet hopeful novel of a girl who can’t stop growing and the people who love her.
February 16, 2025
While this was a very accessible novel in verse written in our time, the setting and characters gave me serious Anne of Green Gables vibes. A fictionalized account of Anna Swan, known as The Giantess from Nova Scotia, this lovely novel, portraying Anna as a twelve-year-old is as relatable as it is heartwarming. From the beautiful cover, to the author's note, giving readers an insight into the real story of Anna, I enjoyed this tall tale from beginning to end.
July 2, 2025
This one was a little bit harder for me to get in to. I never "hooked" me. I think it was the constant bullying was that was hard to read for me. There was a repetitiveness to the bullying that wore me down. The second 1/2 was much better read. I am not sure my middle schoolers will pick it up or stay with it till the end.
January 2, 2025
The book is designated a middle-grade novel but as far as I’m concerned the story is every bit as much for adults, who will appreciate not only Anna’s intriguing story but the lyrical and moving quality of Sidura Ludwig’s words.
June 12, 2025
This novel in verse reminds me a lot of Starfish by Lisa Fipps. Glad this will be available for students to check out in our library!
July 26, 2025
I will definitely be recommending this to my middle school students. Fascinating historical fiction with a theme of not fitting in that any middle schooler can relate to.
December 29, 2025
loved it!
February 13, 2025
I had never heard of Anna Swan before. Anna Swan, the little girl who grew to be very tall. The little girl that stood at 4 feet 6 inches at the age of 4 years old. This novel is a reimagining of Anna Swan’s life as a 12 year old girl. I was very interested to learn that Anna Swan was a real person. This book was so well done, the writing was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, and it was so fun to read. The character development from Anna Swan as she struggles with the changes that her body goes through was really well done.
Alright, so I want to do a little bit of comparing and contrasting here. As an aspiring writer, I’d like to do a case study for 2 stories that have a similar premise. There’s a Netflix movie called Tall Girl and it follows a 16yr old girl named Jodi who stands at 6’1. And then we have Anna Swan who (in this book) is only 12yrs old, and stands at 6’11. Both of these stories have a similar storyline, it’s woman versus herself and her internal conflict with her own body. Both girls are unhappy with how tall they are, and wish to be shorter. I would like to talk about the emotional impact of each story and how much I resonated with each character. Why? Because it’s my blog and my book review and I do what I want. Hehe. Enjoy.
I didn’t like the Tall Girl movie for a number of reasons, mostly because I couldn’t sympathize with the main character. As a 16yr old myself, I stand at around 5’7, but I think I can still say that her story and her insecurities don’t really resonate with me as much as they do with Anna. Both tall girls are shy and reserved. They also tend to slouch because of their height, and they both also have big hands. In Anna Swans case, it’s the 1800s, and the people of her small town haven’t see anything like her before. One of the businessman in her town wants to put her on display at an exhibition in Halifax. Anna is marketed as the “Nova Scotia Giantess”.
I find that I connected with Anna’s story more because we see Anna go through a lot of changes. We see her growing and her needs that come with being tall. She constantly needs her bed lengthened, she has to sit on the floor when eating because the dining table cannot accommodate her, she needs her desk at school raised because her legs are too long to fit and it is causing her back and neck pain. In the Tall Girl movie all we get are her complaints and we don’t actually get to see her struggling with anything severe. For Anna Swan, she actually worries. She worries what will happen to her, if she never stops growing, or if there’s anything wrong with her body. In the Tall Girl movie with Jodi, some kids at school bully her a little bit and then she gets sad, but that’s all we see. I think the Tall Girl movie had a lot of wasted potential for a good story. I’m not saying that being tall isn’t a valid insecurity or anything like that, I just think that way Jodie’s character was written makes it seem fake.
Anna Swan is also called a “daftie” and an “elephant” because she’s so shy, and people think that she’s not smart because she doesn’t talk. When she does talk, they are taken aback because she has a voice like that of a man. Small things like that were crucial to Anna’s character development, and that’s something that we don’t get with Jodi.
Okay that’s it for the analysis. I hope that also tells you about the book as well, if you can’t tell, I really liked the Swan book compared to the Tall Girl movie. I would highly recommend Swan to anyone that disliked Tall Girl, or thought that the Tall Girl story wasn’t satisfying. And if you haven’t watched Tall Girl, well, I recommend this to you too. You can learn something new, and fall in love with Sidura Ludwig’s Anna Swan.
Full review on arielaonthego.com
Alright, so I want to do a little bit of comparing and contrasting here. As an aspiring writer, I’d like to do a case study for 2 stories that have a similar premise. There’s a Netflix movie called Tall Girl and it follows a 16yr old girl named Jodi who stands at 6’1. And then we have Anna Swan who (in this book) is only 12yrs old, and stands at 6’11. Both of these stories have a similar storyline, it’s woman versus herself and her internal conflict with her own body. Both girls are unhappy with how tall they are, and wish to be shorter. I would like to talk about the emotional impact of each story and how much I resonated with each character. Why? Because it’s my blog and my book review and I do what I want. Hehe. Enjoy.
I didn’t like the Tall Girl movie for a number of reasons, mostly because I couldn’t sympathize with the main character. As a 16yr old myself, I stand at around 5’7, but I think I can still say that her story and her insecurities don’t really resonate with me as much as they do with Anna. Both tall girls are shy and reserved. They also tend to slouch because of their height, and they both also have big hands. In Anna Swans case, it’s the 1800s, and the people of her small town haven’t see anything like her before. One of the businessman in her town wants to put her on display at an exhibition in Halifax. Anna is marketed as the “Nova Scotia Giantess”.
I find that I connected with Anna’s story more because we see Anna go through a lot of changes. We see her growing and her needs that come with being tall. She constantly needs her bed lengthened, she has to sit on the floor when eating because the dining table cannot accommodate her, she needs her desk at school raised because her legs are too long to fit and it is causing her back and neck pain. In the Tall Girl movie all we get are her complaints and we don’t actually get to see her struggling with anything severe. For Anna Swan, she actually worries. She worries what will happen to her, if she never stops growing, or if there’s anything wrong with her body. In the Tall Girl movie with Jodi, some kids at school bully her a little bit and then she gets sad, but that’s all we see. I think the Tall Girl movie had a lot of wasted potential for a good story. I’m not saying that being tall isn’t a valid insecurity or anything like that, I just think that way Jodie’s character was written makes it seem fake.
Anna Swan is also called a “daftie” and an “elephant” because she’s so shy, and people think that she’s not smart because she doesn’t talk. When she does talk, they are taken aback because she has a voice like that of a man. Small things like that were crucial to Anna’s character development, and that’s something that we don’t get with Jodi.
Okay that’s it for the analysis. I hope that also tells you about the book as well, if you can’t tell, I really liked the Swan book compared to the Tall Girl movie. I would highly recommend Swan to anyone that disliked Tall Girl, or thought that the Tall Girl story wasn’t satisfying. And if you haven’t watched Tall Girl, well, I recommend this to you too. You can learn something new, and fall in love with Sidura Ludwig’s Anna Swan.
Full review on arielaonthego.com
July 14, 2025
"SWAN" by Sidura Ludwig is a moving, heartfelt, and beautifully crafted novel that left a lasting impression on me. The story of Anna, a girl growing up with extraordinary height, is told with such honesty and sensitivity that I found her incredibly easy to relate to. Her emotional journey made me feel seen and understood, allowing me to connect deeply with the story and reflect on my own experiences of feeling different.
The novel follows twelve-year-old Anna Swan as she grapples with the challenges brought on by her unusual height. After moving with her family to her grandmother’s farm, she faces the difficulties of starting at a new school, fitting into desks not built for her frame, and enduring the cruel taunts of classmates who label her the “Giant Girl.” Despite her size, Anna longs to blend in, craving small comforts like shoes that fit and pews that don’t groan beneath her weight. When the idea of exhibiting herself in Halifax arises as a means of helping her family, Anna is forced to question her worth and confront the fine line between empowerment and exploitation.
Told in lyrical verse, Ludwig’s storytelling captures the emotional nuances of Anna’s journey with elegance and clarity. The book explores powerful themes of identity, self-acceptance, and the pain of being different in a world that demands conformity.
What I appreciated most was Anna’s growth. Not physically her height’s growth, but her character development. At first, she sees her height as a curse—proof, perhaps, of a divine mistake. But as she grows, Anna begins to understand that being extraordinary is not something to hide, but something to embrace. This novel beautifully affirms that our differences, though difficult, can become our greatest strength.
I highly recommend "SWAN" to anyone learning to accept and celebrate who they are.
The novel follows twelve-year-old Anna Swan as she grapples with the challenges brought on by her unusual height. After moving with her family to her grandmother’s farm, she faces the difficulties of starting at a new school, fitting into desks not built for her frame, and enduring the cruel taunts of classmates who label her the “Giant Girl.” Despite her size, Anna longs to blend in, craving small comforts like shoes that fit and pews that don’t groan beneath her weight. When the idea of exhibiting herself in Halifax arises as a means of helping her family, Anna is forced to question her worth and confront the fine line between empowerment and exploitation.
Told in lyrical verse, Ludwig’s storytelling captures the emotional nuances of Anna’s journey with elegance and clarity. The book explores powerful themes of identity, self-acceptance, and the pain of being different in a world that demands conformity.
What I appreciated most was Anna’s growth. Not physically her height’s growth, but her character development. At first, she sees her height as a curse—proof, perhaps, of a divine mistake. But as she grows, Anna begins to understand that being extraordinary is not something to hide, but something to embrace. This novel beautifully affirms that our differences, though difficult, can become our greatest strength.
I highly recommend "SWAN" to anyone learning to accept and celebrate who they are.
October 18, 2024
This is a beautiful, lyrical poem that will tug at your heartstrings. Anna is giant in every way; in height, but also in heart, and in mind. Despite bullying, aches and pains, fears and family stresses, Anna finds a way to live in her own body and to be proud. An unforgettable character.
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