The Green Baby Swing - by Thomas King (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A mother and son discover a cherished family item during an attic clean-up in this lovely story about grief and intergenerational love."--

Book Synopsis

A tender picture book about loss, intergenerational love and the power of family keepsakes, from acclaimed author Thomas King and for fans of Memory Jars.

After Nana passes away, Xavier, his mother and Comet the kitten all head up to Nana's attic to help clean it up.

At first, Xavier is a little nervous. Though there are no dragons up there, it looks like a dragon's cave -- it's gloomy, dusty and full of cobwebs. But as Xavier explores the attic, he discovers all kinds of interesting things:

An old tricycle
Two monkeys made out of coconuts
A scrapbook full of photographs
A rocking horse with gold and red stars stuck to its neck

At the bottom of one box, Xavier finds a strange piece of fabric. It's thick, soft and green, and it makes his mother's eyes wet with memories.

As Xavier learns more about this keepsake, he discovers more about his family and himself in this gorgeous picture book about intergenerational love and the power of memory.

Review Quotes

One of CCBC's Best Books for Kids and Teens
A 2025 Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year

PRAISE FOR The Green Baby Swing

"An affecting, supportive portrayal of navigating loss and the ways love and family connection endure." --STARRED REVIEW, Booklist

"A tender tale that pulls generations together." --Kirkus Reviews

"The Green Baby Swing is recommended for young readers to enjoy with their caregivers, and it could encourage them to explore their own family stories." --CM: Canadian Review of Materials

About the Author

THOMAS KING has written several highly acclaimed children's books, including My Lala (illustrated by Charlene Chua). A Coyote Solstice Tale (illustrated by Gary Clement) won the American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Award for Best Picture Book and A Coyote Columbus Story (illustrated by Kent Monkman) was a Governor General's Literary Award finalist. King, who is of Cherokee and Greek descent and was a Professor of English at the University of Guelph for many years, won a Governor General's Literary Award for his adult novel The Back of the Turtle; he won both the BC National Award for Canadian Nonfiction and the RBC Taylor Prize for The Inconvenient Indian. His novel Indians on Vacation was shortlisted for the Govenor General's award and won the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour. Thomas lives in Guelph, Ontario with his family.

YONG LING KANG is a freelance illustrator raised in Singapore and currently lives in Toronto. She has worked in animation studios and a publishing company, and she has illustrated many picture books, including The Care and Keeping of Grandmas, Rodney Was a Tortoise, Tanna's Owl and This House Is Home.