Stretch to the Sun: From a Tiny Sprout to the Tallest Tree on Earth

by Carrie A. Pearson, Susan Swan (Illustrations)

Located in Redwood National Park in northern California, a coast redwood tree dubbed Hyperion is the tallest known tree on earth. More than six hundred years old, it is approximately 379 feet tall--and still climbing!

Hyperion (Greek, for "the High One") sprouted, flourished, and survived ecological threats for over six hundred years before being discovered by tall-tree researchers. The coast redwood tree provides a unique ecosystem for the many plants and animals in its tree canopy and managed to survive extensive deforestation by loggers nearby. Discovered in 2006, the tree's location is kept secret to protect it.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Nature, Science, Environment, Childrens, Juvenile

32 pages, Hardcover

Published October 9, 2018

About the author

Carrie A. Pearson writes award-winning books that spark curiosity and help readers fall in love with nature, science, and the hidden wonders around them. As an early childhood educator, she brings big ideas to life—whether exploring forest canopies, trailblazing women in STEM, or tiny animal embryos—inviting you to see the world in a whole new way.
Her nonfiction titles include Watch Them Grow: The Fascinating Science of Animal Beginnings, (Junior Library Guild gold), Virginia Wouldn’t Slow Down! The Unstoppable Dr. Apgar and Her Life-Saving Invention (JLG gold, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, starred review), Stretch to the Sun: From A Tiny Sprout to the Tallest Tree On Earth (California Reading Association Eureka! Silver Honor Award for Nonfiction), and additional nonfiction or informational fiction titles. Carrie lives along the shore of Lake Superior in Marquette, Michigan. where she enjoys hiking in the woods, playing on the water, and watching wild weather roll in. She’s always on the lookout for fascinating stories and the best way to share them with readers. Visit carriepearsonbooks.com for school visit info and book resources.

Reviews

[Wendelle]

Tracing the life of one redwood tree, this book's illustrations are so vivid and detailed that it's like an immersive trip to the woods

[Mary Vial · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stretch to the Sun by Carrie A. Pearson is a nonfiction book about how ecosystems work together and coexist to meet the needs of survival. This book focuses on the growth over hundreds of years of the tallest tree in the world. This book is beautifully illustrated to show how the organisms in a tropical rainforest rely on this tree for resources. Throughout the timeline, the tree grows taller and larger, even when it is hit by lightning and caught on fire. The tree seems to be able to survive in any conditions until humans come into the rainforest and are looking to cut down trees for lumber. The book connects deforestation back to the government and shows how a law was passed by the president of the United States to protect ancient trees. This book portrays the growth and development of the tallest tree on Earth, and how human-environmental interactions can threaten even the most beautiful and magnificent things in nature. I would implement this book into a fourth-grade classroom when teaching a unit on ecosystems. I would have my students explore the concept of deforestation using the part of the book where humans come into the rainforest and have students predict what would happen to that ecosystem if the tree was cut down. I would also have students create a timeline of growth for the tallest tree in the world using this book. Students will then share their timelines with their small groups. This book was a Wow Book for me due to the message of nature conservation and how deforestation can be detrimental to ecosystems, and history. I also was in awe over the illustrations throughout the book and could see how students would be interested and motivated to know more about the tallest tree in the world. I cannot wait to read this book again and implement it into my future classroom!

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated look at coastal redwoods for chicken. Very basic information but hopefully will lead to questions and discovery by kids and their adults.

[Brenda Kahn]

Just gorgeous! Perfect impressionistic lesson on Redwood/ old growth forests.

[Terry Johnson]

This has to be the most stunning cover I've seen this year! Can't wait to read it.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stretch to the Sun: From a Tiny Sprout to the Tallest Tree on Earth by Carrie A. Pearson, illustrated by Susan Swan. PICTURE BOOK/NON-FICTION. Charlesbridge, 2018. $17. 9781580897716

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

The tallest tree in the world began as a just a tiny sprout from a fallen tree and over hundreds of years grew and provided shelter to many animals. As time passed, people started to invade this tree’s home and laws were required to protect it. Today it is protected and enjoyed by many people.

The illustrations in this book have a beautiful cut paper aesthetic and are effective at conveying the sense of being in the redwood forest. I found the pace of the book to be a bit off balance with a slow start to the tree’s origin and a rush through its growth and protection. Because this book does include a piece on the writing process - specifically starting the research with a question - this could be a great model for a research project in the classroom.

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Launna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things I didn’t like: I was worried it was going to turn in to one of those books with an annoying agenda. It didn’t turn out that way. It is a less in your face, less you are terrible kind of agenda.
I can’t articulate the feeling I got at the beginning, but it is something like it was misrepresenting the passage of time like moving too fast. Then, boom, it’s 600 years later. So, it went from super fast, to just jumping. I don’t know how to do that differently, but It was all a little off setting.

Things I really liked:
The ideas. I love big tree and little trees.
The artwork was beautiful.
The curiosity and exploration it sparked.
Back to the artwork- The cover is stunning. The animals scattered throughout are fun to find and identify.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right from the cover, and the words chosen, you can tell this book was written by an excellent author.

Carrie A. Pearson has found an intriguing title, one with poetry and action and maybe even seven types of ambiguity. ;-) (That last bit is a reference to a book I once loved as an English major in college. You can find a review here on Goodreads of this brilliant book by William Empson.)

The excellent author, Ms. Pearson, teams up with superb illustrator Susan Swan. They transport readers to Redwood National Park in northern California.

There a redwood tree dubbed Hyperion is the tallest known tree on earth.

Imagine! It's more than 600 years old. Size-wise, the tree is about 379 feet tall--and still growing!

FIVE STARS for all the inspiration!

[Laura Giessler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carefully researched book about how the tallest tree known on earth grew from a sprout or seed into a giant redwood. The author provides descriptions of the canopy ecosystem, the devastating impact of humans on the redwood forests, and the law signed by President Carter in 1968 that significantly expanded Redwood National Park and protected many trees. "When redwood harvesting began in the mid-1800s, there were more than two million acres of old-growth redwood forests. By 1968 nine out of ten trees were gone forever." I thought it interesting that the locations of the two tallest trees are kept secret so that they can be allowed to grow undisturbed.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Located in Redwood National Park in northern California, a coast redwood tree dubbed Hyperion is the tallest known tree on earth. More than six hundred years old, it is approximately 379 feet tall--and still climbing!

Hyperion (Greek, for "the High One") sprouted, flourished, and survived ecological threats for over six hundred years before being discovered by tall-tree researchers. The coast redwood tree provides a unique ecosystem for the many plants and animals in its tree canopy and managed to survive extensive deforestation by loggers nearby. Discovered in 2006, the tree's location is kept secret to protect it.

[Laurie Hnatiuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those who love trees especially those gorgeous redwoods, this is the story of a tree from its death providing new life in the entire ecosystem including the impact humans have played in the forest. We see the growth of what is considered to now be the tallest tree from its infancy to 1200 years later. A fabulous addition to talk about ecosystems and conservation in classrooms and libraries. The illustrations by a Susan Swan are detailed and stunning and will have readers appreciating the details.

[Kathryn Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written & illustrated, this book tells the story of the world’s tallest known tree. The narrative follows the redwood’s life from a tiny forest sprout through changing seasons & passing years, through a natural disaster & human disruptions, to its current majestic state (shown on a surprise final spread foldout). Author’s end note & tree facts are bonuses! Together, Pearson’s engaging text and Swan’s lovely digital collage images make this an excellent choice for home & classroom enjoyment & learning!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetically written, spare prose breathes life into this terrifically illustrated book on the redwoods. I am a fan--of both the tree and the book!
I also enjoyed all of the additional information at the back of the book, giving more interesting information about redwood trees. I have wanted to visit the redwoods since I was a kid and now I really MUST go!!
Put this one on your classroom bookshelves!

[Carol Doeringer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful book tells the story of the world’s tallest tree. The simple but rich text follows the tree’s life from sprout to towering redwood. The illustrations are simply gorgeous. Each page invites the reader—both child and adult—to explore and discover the many forms of life that live in and around the towering tree. The story will also help kids understand a tree’s life cycle and the many threats, both natural and human, that challenge a tree’s survival.

[Ashley Adkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another wonderful non-fiction picture book. The text is simple enough to engage young readers in a very complex story. The rhythmic words create a fun tone of the story as you read it as well. My favorite is the additional information in the back of the book but beware, it will make you want to visit the Redwoods!

[Michele Knott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Celebrating the redwood trees, Pearson details the magnificence of these trees and tells the story of one particular tree that started off as such a tiny shoot, but now grows tall, perhaps tallest, in the forest.
Don't miss the fascinating backmatter. I thought this was really interesting - did you know no one knows the site of 2 trees that are racing to be the tallest tree? Scientists actually will not tell you where they are, keeping the location hidden in the hopes the trees will continue to grow and grow!

[Amy Nielander · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a treasure filled with lovely poetic language and thoughtful sensory words. I felt like I was among the redwoods! The long lush sentences guided me with helpful information while the short, simple sentences created a cinematic effect. The illustrations are rich and colorful with a wondrous attention to textures. Kids will love exploring each page!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a huge fan of giant redwoods, I loved this story! So much information about the life of a huge tree mixed in with the story, a fold out tree spread at the end that kids will love, and back matter for additional info.

[Bethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Presented in story form, the life of the tallest measured redwood tree. Lush illustrations and great back matter gives the facts behind various pages. Wonder if I walked past this tree on a visit to Redwood NP?

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot of good information in here. I was a little thrown off by the tall tree falling and then the new sprout being the tallest tree on Earth. I wasn't sure why it didn't just start with the sprout. Berry was very impressed with the foldout, however.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific nonfiction picture book celebrating the giants among us--the giant Redwoods. Engaging, educational, and beautifully illustrated. Excellent back matter to learn more.

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute book. Amazing inspirational true story about a tree that someone can incorperate into their own life. 💕

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our book today is Stretch To The Sun: From A Tiny Sprout To The Tallest Tree On Earth, written by Carrie A. Pearson, illustrated by Susan Swan, a look at the life of a coast redwood from seed to mighty tree.

An older redwood, at the end of its life, is blown down by a storm; yet from it, new life begins. This tiny seed takes root in the remains of the older tree, putting down roots and shooting up sprigs, then leaves, then branches. Over the course of hundreds of years, the tree grows taller and taller, creating new ecosystems within its towering trunk and branches and forming a canopy over the forest with other tall trees. Escaping loggers due to its size, the tree remains standing to this day, a testament of the lifespan of such incredible trees, and a reminder that every big thing starts from something small.

Very interesting. The meat of the text looks at the details of how a redwood forest ecosystem fosters the growth of a new tree: the way leaves decay into soil, animals deposit seedlings that grow into symbiotic plants, weather creates rain, sun, and fog that nourish the plant. Generous use of onomatopoeia keep the text from becoming too dull for small readers, and some lovely illustrations, including two clever vertical spreads, gives a sense of scale. The backmatter is informative, and the length overall is fine. Make no mistake, this is a fairly slow storyline, but succeeds in its goal at creating a sense of reverence and respect for these incredible trees. JJ enjoyed it, especially the sound effects, and we can recommend this one, especially for readers hoping to learn more about redwood trees. Baby Bookworm approved!

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a sneak peek at this picture book yesterday and was blown away. The illustrations are just exquisite. Through collage, the artist has brought all the elements of forest life to the page. Readers will find themselves exploring the forest and discovering insects, birds, mammals, and lizards peeking out from behind leaves and branches just as if they were using careful, quiet observation skills in an actual forest. Carrie Pearson's text is beautifully written and well researched. This is a fun read aloud with lots of great word choices. A fantastic celebration of a forest ecosystem and a homage to old growth forests!