Bestselling Author
Heather is a New York Times bestselling author of four books.
Heather shares her heart by putting words on paper and using her gift of shifting narratives to share the awesomeness of all things Down syndrome and adoption. She cares fiercely for the underdog and believes God's goodness and beauty are found in the most seemingly uncomfortable places.
Different - A Great Thing To Be
(WaterBrook • June 29, 2021)
This joyful rhyming book encourages children to value the “different” in all people, leading the way to a kinder world in which the differences in all of us are celebrated and embraced.
Macy is a girl who’s a lot like you and me, but she’s also quite different, which is a great thing to be. With kindness, grace, and bravery, Macy finds her place in the world, bringing beauty and laughter wherever she goes and leading others to find delight in the unique design of every person.
Children are naturally aware of the differences they encounter in everyday life and relationships. They just need to be given tools to understand and appreciate what makes us “different,” permission to ask questions about it, and eyes to see and celebrate it in themselves as well as in those around them.
Everyone Belongs
(WaterBrook • August 9, 2022)
A joyful rhyming book that encourages children to not only value all people but to also make room for their differences in order to make a better, brighter, and more beautiful world!
Macy and Tru are putting on a spectacular talent show to highlight the ways they love to perform. Other kids arrive, eager to participate but unsure if they’ll be welcomed. Since the two sisters know that everything is a lot more fun when everybody’s included, they’re determined to find a role in the show for each person.
Inspiring, encouraging, and packed with joy, Everyone Belongs reminds us that it’s possible to make room for all people and all abilities—and that life is brighter when we give every person a chance to shine.
Endorsements
The Lucky Few: Finding God's Best
in the Most Unlikely Places
(Zondervan • March 21, 2017)
When life looks radically different than the plan we have for ourselves, it's the lucky few that recognize God's plan is best. That's what adoptive mom Heather Avis learned, and that's the invitation of this book.
As the mother of three adopted children - two with Down syndrome - Heather Avis has learned that it's truly the lucky few who get to live a life like hers, who actually recognize that God's plans are best, even when they seem so radically different from the plans we have for ourselves.
When Heather started her journey into parenthood she never thought it would look like this, never planned to have three adopted children, and certainly never imagined that two of them would have Down syndrome. But like most things God does, once she stepped into the craziness and confusion that comes with the unknown and the unplanned, she realized that they were indeed among the lucky few.
Scoot Over and Make Some Room:
Creating a Space Where Everyone Belongs
(Zondervan • June 25, 2019)
Hilarious and heartwarming stories that will empower you to make space for the other and discover the extraordinary, welcoming heart of God.
In a world of divisions and margins, those who act, look, and grow a little differently are all too often shoved aside. Scoot Over and Make Some Room is part inspiring narrative and part encouraging challenge for us all to listen and learn from those we're prone to ignore.
Heather tells hilarious stories of her growing kids, spontaneous dance parties, forgotten pants, and navigating the challenges and joys of parenthood. She shares heartbreaking moments when her kids were denied a place at the table and when she had to fight for their voices to be heard. With beautiful wisdom and profound convictions, this manifesto will empower you to notice who's missing in the spaces you live in, to make room for your own kids and for those others who need you and your open heart.
This is your invitation to a table where space is unlimited and every voice can be heard. Because when you open your life to the wild beauty of every unique individual, you'll discover your own colorful soul and the extraordinary, abundant heart of God.
Schedule an author visit with Heather Avis
Heather would love to come to your schools and classrooms as a visiting author. Currently, I am open for Zoom/Skype presentations (they have been a fantastic opportunity to get to be “together”!) and in person depending on current health protocols.