Praise for Once I was a Giant

Zeno Sworder and Thames & Hudson Australia have skillfully produced a picture book that transcends age, extending the idea of what picture books are and who they are for.Thames & Hudson Australia took extraordinary consideration in shaping the production of Once I was a Giant. Excelling across every metric, the title delivered strong sales, widespread multi-channel support and fantastic foreign rights success - reflecting the publisher's deep commitment to both the book and its author from the outset.
2026 ABIA Judges' Comments, Book of the Year

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

About the Author

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.

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