Check Out y newest Guest Post By Author Stephanie Henson PLUS Check Out Her New Book 'Tall as the Sun' & Enter A Giveaway! #TallAsTheSun ~

This post is sponsored by Stephanie Henson. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal views.

Father’s Day Books and Beach Day Memories: Celebrating the Dad-Child Bond

With Father’s Day coming up in June, it has me thinking about Dads and the role they play in their children’s lives. But more specifically, I have been thinking about the special bond between a father and daughter. This significant relationship has been depicted in many children’s books over the years such as Why a Daughter Needs a Dad by Gregory E. Lang, Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems, and Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle. It’s also evident on screen, most notably (in my opinion), with the movie Father of the Bride. It’s a hilarious classic – you need to check it out!

I have a daughter who is nineteen years old and I remember finding out that we were having a girl, like it was yesterday. The shock first and foremost, since most everyone in our circle had predicted that I was carrying a boy. And the sheer panic on my husband’s face when it sunk in that he would actually have a little girl to take care of. This big strong man who was sports obsessed and career focused, was suddenly going to be the center of a little girl’s world. The color drained from his face. The weight of the responsibility was evident in the moment. He would not only be her Dad, but her confidant, provider, friend, protector . . . her ideal.

I have witnessed their relationship evolve over the years. The smiles, the tears, the ups, the downs, the communication, the disagreements and more. Teenagers are everything you think they are! But he is always there for her whether she wants him to be or not. He’s a constant, a pillar in her world. The one thing that almost always pulls them (and us) together as a family is the beach. We have a beach house in Ocean City, NJ – our home away from our home in West Chester, PA – and over the 20+ years we have been going there, so many memories have been made. From collecting seashells and jumping waves when she was little, to their meaningful walks on the beach together as she grew older; the beach has always been an important place for all of us.

The beach is very special to me as a writer because it’s where my second picture book, Tall as the Sun was born. I was laying on the sand, my son carefree jumping in the surf, my husband and daughter were on one of their walks to catch up, and I was just absorbing all that the beach had to offer. The roar of the ocean and melodic sounds of crashing waves, which is oddly calming to me. The squawking of seagulls when children were trying to feed them when they shouldn’t have been. The warmth of the sun which blanketed me from head to toe. But something unexpected caught my ear that day. It was a little girl, about three years old, who was SO excited to be at the beach. Her little squeals lifted my head from my towel and I watched her, really watched her. She was hoisted up on her dad’s shoulders and was excitedly calling out everything she could see – the houses, the kites, the birds, the sandcastles, etc. Her dad was so patient and asked her questions in return. I was witnessing the bond of a father and daughter first hand! My mind raced with ideas. What if the little girl imagined herself getting taller and taller as she encountered each thing on the beach? What if the beach was her ultimate playground, made possible by the unique vantage point provided by her father? I began to write, right then and there on my beach towel, in my notes app within my phone. The first ideas for Tall as the Sun came to life and now, two years later, it is an actual book!

It is my hope that not only fathers but parents, grandparents, caretakers, friends, and more will be able to share this book with the children in their lives. To make memories and new traditions by the backdrop of the beach. They too can take an imaginative walk this season, as that father and daughter did, and let the beach turn into their playground of endless potential. Smell the salt air, reach for the parasails, build epic sandcastles, let ice cream melt down sticky faces! Anything is possible when long lasting memories are being made – even being as Tall as the Sun.

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

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Bookshop.org

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.

Instagram: @stephahenson

X: @stepha_henson

TOUR SCHEDULE

Tuesday, May 5, 2026
The Children’s Book Review
Tour Kick-Off for Tall as the Sun

Thursday, May 7, 2026
The Starlit Path
Book Review of Tall as the Sun

Friday, May 8, 2026
Deliciously Savvy
Guest Post about Tall as the Sun

Monday, May 11, 2026
Country Mamas With Kids
Guest Post about Tall as the Sun

Tuesday, May 12, 2026
icefairy’s Treasure Chest
Book Review of Tall as the Sun

Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Barbara Ann Mojica’s Blog
Book Review of Tall as the Sun

Thursday, May 14, 2026
Crafty Moms Share
Book Review of Tall as the Sun

Friday, May 15, 2026
@meghenslittlelibrary
Instagram Post about Tall as the Sun

Monday, May 18, 2026
A Blue Box Full of Books
Instagram Post about Tall as the Sun

Tuesday, May 19, 2026
The Fairview Review
Book Review of Tall as the Sun

Thursday, May 21, 2026
Lisa’s Reading
Book Review of Tall as the Sun

Friday, May 22, 2026
@nissa_the.bookworm
Instagram Post about Tall as the Sun

Monday, May 25, 2026
@MysteryLFL
Instagram Post about Tall as the Sun

Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Cover Lover Book Review
Interview with Stephanie Henson

Thursday, May 28, 2026
Un Viaje en Libro
Book Review of Tall as the Sun

Friday, May 29, 2026
@bored_military_wife
Instagram Post about Tall as the Sun

NOW TO THE GIVEAWAY!

Readers who join us on this virtual book tour will have the chance to win one of four prizes. One grand prize winner will take home a special bundle featuring signed copies of No School, My Rules!, In the Right Lane, and Tall as the Sun, plus a curated book basket filled with fun, bookish goodies. Three additional readers will each win a signed copy of Tall as the Sun.