Stretch to the Sun

About Stretch to the Sun

“Visually appealing and ­enjoyable to read aloud, this book is a ­versatile introduction to redwood trees and forest conservation.”
—School Library Journal

Step into the magical, but true, world of a coast redwood forest — one of nature’s most diverse environments. Experience the life of one tiny tree as it survives despite all odds and grows generation by generation into the tallest tree on earth today.

A recipient of a silver Eureka! Award from the California Reading Association for outstanding nonfiction.

A children’s book about how a once tiny seedling, deep in the forest of Redwood National Park, that was protected by the animals and plants that surrounded it, stretched toward the sun to become the tallest known tree on earth. It survived ecological and human threats and flourished for over 1200 years. Logging in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries depleted the coastal redwood population significantly. But the creation of northern California’s Redwood National Park in 1968 helped to save some of the ancient trees, like this one. The tree was discovered by tall tree scientists in 2006, but in the hopes to keep the tree safe, its exact location is kept secret.

Susan Swan’s eye-catching illustrations are made of found objects and hand-painted papers bringing a natural depth and texture to the story.

Peppered with impressive facts about trees and extensive backmatter, Pearson proves that every tree has a story to tell.