Once I was a Giant

(Hardback)

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Description

When a picture-book maker runs out of stories, his pencil decides it's time to tell her own...

'My first memories were of darkness and reaching for sunlight. My roots connected me to everything. I was small but I was also the forest.'

Here is the story of a green giant and a small wanderer who formed a friendship that spanned lifetimes.

From the award-winning author of My Strange Shrinking Parents comes a luminescent and hopeful tale about our living natural world.

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From Zeno: This is a book where the tree is the protagonist and hero. As we all tumble towards an increasingly digital, atomised and urbanised world I wanted to make a story about the natural world that touches on ideas of interdependence, metamorphosis and impermanence. Trees make all of our lives possible but they are often absent from stories because we tend to only care and feel for characters that are like us. This story aims to bring trees alive for young people by telling an imaginative story rooted in recent scientific discoveries about the social lives of trees and their abilities to communicate, learn and feel. The story covers the entire span of an individual tree's life and the intimate relationships it shares with the forest and the creatures that it nourishes and houses.

Reviews

Praise for Once I was a Giant:
A magical blend of ancient and modern storytelling, reminding us that all things are deeply connected in ways both known and unknown.

* Shaun Tan, award-winning author of The Arrival *
A love song, a protest march and a reminder that we are all a forest. This beautiful book draws attention to the small, the vast, and the interconnections across our world. * Jazz Money, Wiradjuri poet and artist *
A beautiful, wholly original story of hope and the more-than-human world. Once I was a Giant is a stunning blend of language and imagery that sits in the mind long after reading. This is the work of a master picture-book creator. * Zana Fraillon, award-winning author of The Bone Sparrow *
Once I was a Giant is a moving, beautifully illustrated story that speaks to the deep vulnerability of our precious environment. We all have a part to play in protecting our soils, plants, animals and in learning from the wisdom of our First Nations Peoples. Landcare is a growing community movement, with volunteers across Australia actively caring for the land, waterways and restoring biodiversity in their local area for future generations. When you read this book, we invite you to step out into nature - listen, look, feel, smell, and connect. Nature needs you. -- Landcare Australia

Praise for My Strange Shrinking Parents:
This book breathes beauty on every page.

* Gabrielle Wang, Australian Children's Laureate *
A poignant, fantastical conceit, reminiscent of the work of Shaun Tan. -- Andrea Wang * The New York Times *
A clever and poignant tribute to the love of all those who made the journey. -- Starred review * Kirkus Reviews *
Lovingly produced, designed and illustrated, My Strange Shrinking Parents is an enchanting story of parental sacrifice. Not only will it win many awards, it will undoubtedly enthral and captivate readers for a long time to come. A must-read for ages 4 to adult. -- Angela Crocombe * Readings *

Author Bio

Zeno Sworder is an award-winning writer and artist who lives in Melbourne with his young family. After studying Chinese literature and migration law at university, he ended up as a dish washer. Later, he went on to work as a journalist, an English language teacher, a consular officer, an advocate for refugees and immigrants and a jewellery designer. He is a lover of all stationery but has a particular soft spot for pencils. Once I was a Giant is his third picture book. His previous books are This Small Blue Dot and My Strange Shrinking Parents.