Zeno Sworder, My Strange Shrinking Parents, Thames & Hudson, August 2022, 40 pp., RRP $25.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760761233
My Strange Shrinking Parents is the second picture book by award winning author and illustrator, Zeno Sworder. In it, Zeno has captured something truly extraordinary. From the breathtaking illustrations with their subtle muted colours to the thought-provoking text, this picture book is sure to captivate readers for many years to come.
My Strange Shrinking Parents tells the story of a family, a young boy and his mother and father, as they move from a far-off land to another country to seek a better life. The parents do everything within their power to hold their child above the worries and concerns of everyday life and in the process make sacrifices. These sacrifices are what lead to the parents shrinking in height. As their son grows, he moves from not seeing the sacrificing to seeing but not understanding to seeing and full comprehension. Whilst I’m not sure that all young readers will appreciate this nuance it is one that will strike a chord with many adult readers.
The story skilfully captures the experience of immigrant parents and children, the challenge of being “different” as a child and the courage and resilience that often comes from enduring difficult experiences. Reading My Strange Shrinking Parents is like receiving a warm hug with love flowing from each page. Its position on the 2023 CBCA Book of the Year Awards Shortlist for Picture Book of the Year is well deserved.
Reviewed by Anne Varnes