It's Okay To Be Different (Paperback)

It's Okay to Be Different tells the story of Mason and Marcus, two young boys who are secretly going through cancer treatments and losing their hair. Worried about what other kids will think, both cover up with beanies. Marcus even acts like a bully toward Mason just to hide how scared he actually is about being different.

Everything changes after a thoughtful classmate named David speaks up, and Mason and Marcus run into each other at the hospital waiting room. Seeing that they're fighting the exact same fight helps them drop their guard and become fast friends. They lean on each other through the rest of their treatments until they finally get to ring the hospital's victory bell together. When they go back to school, they get a sweet surprise: their whole class and teacher are waiting for them wearing yellow beanies to show their support.

It's a heartwarming tale that shows kids how opening up and showing empathy can turn a tough, lonely situation into a powerful connection.

Growing up, Avery Taylor was quiet and kept mostly to themselves. Fitting in during grade school, middle school, and high school wasn't easy, so Avery spent endless hours at the local library. The library quickly became a peaceful getaway-a place to feel grounded and let the imagination run wild.

It took time, but Avery learned to embrace being unique and truly love who they are. Today, even with a wonderful family around, Avery still loves spending quality time alone to reflect, create, and share real-life lessons through stories.

With books like It's Okay to Be Different, Avery hopes to teach kids that they don't have to change who they are to fit in, and that being different is something to be proud of.