ABOUT THE BOOK
Tall as the Sun
Written by Stephanie Henson
Illustrated by Yasmin Akhtar
Ages: 0–12 | 30 Pages
Publisher: Watchful Wizard Publishing (2026) | ISBN: 978-1-969819-01-8
Publisher's Book Summary: Tall as the Sun is a heartfelt story that takes readers on a lyrical journey through the eyes of a child as they discover the magic of perspective during a day at the beach with Dad. As our little hero rises higher and higher on Dad's shoulders, the world transforms into a playground of endless possibilities. From soaring with seagulls to reaching the top of sandcastles, each page brings a new adventure.
Praise: "It's easy to picture grandparents or parents reading this book to a child before bed as they drift off to dream of sunny beaches, lulled by the rhythmic sound of ocean waves." —Readers' Favorite (5 Stars)
PURCHASE LINKS
MY REVIEW
The young narrator describes all the sights she sees perched on her father’s shoulders as they walk along the seashore. With each page turn her perspective shifts and she feels as if she is growing taller and taller, looking down at the people on the beach and their various activities. She notices kids building sandcastles, families on picnic blankets, and it seems to her that she is as tall as the lifeguard tower. By the time a plane pulling a banner passes overhead she imagines, “I can now fly like an airplane, swirling and whirling through baby blue skies.”
Each succeeding illustration shows the father-daughter duo a bit taller and the people around them a bit smaller to accompany the girl’s changing perspective. The language captures the playful feeling as she thinks about how she could “magically soar with the seagulls” or “twirl through the air like a parasail.” When they return home and she is tucked into bed for the night her last thought is, “Can’t wait for tomorrow when we can do it all again.”
With its soft watercolor palette and the repetitive lines at the end of each spread, this book makes the perfect bedtime story. The soft blues of the sky and water, warm golden sand, and wispy white clouds make a soothing backdrop to the tale of a fun day at the beach.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephanie Henson lives with her family in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with roots in Central New Jersey. She holds a degree in Communications and a Publishing and Professional Writing Certificate from Rider University, and spends her summers in Ocean City, NJ. An active member of SCBWI (Eastern PA Chapter), Stephanie was a 2024 SCBWI Virtual Conference Scholarship winner, and her work has been featured in both print and online publications.
She is the author of the children's poetry collection In the Right Lane (a #1 New Release in Children's Poetry) and the picture book No School, My Rules! (a #1 New Release in Children's School & Education Books and a Tielmour Press best-seller). Tall as the Sun is her newest picture book, releasing with Watchful Wizard Publishing in May 2026.
Beyond her literary pursuits, Stephanie is a passionate advocate for underrepresented creators living with chronic illness, drawing on her own experience with autoimmune conditions. When she's not writing, she's reading, catching a show, watching Netflix, admiring sunflowers, cheering on sports, or sipping coffee.
To learn more, visit stephaniehensonbooks.com.
TOUR SCHEDULE
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Thursday, May 28, 2026 |
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This post is sponsored by Stephanie Henson. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal views.
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