Heather C. Morris writes books full of science, wonder, and imagination for kids of all ages. She is the grateful author of the picture book, Trunk Goes Thunk! (Gnome Road Publishing, 2024), as well as the story selected to represent Alabama in The Haunted States of America Anthology (Macmillan, 2024), and multiple books for the educational market. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), and her short stories and poetry for older readers have appeared in multiple arts journals and anthologies. 

Before trading her lab coat for a laptop, Heather worked on science and technology projects – everything from planetary protection to environmental monitoring – for a NASA contractor. Her experiments have flown on the International Space Station and traveled to extreme environments like the desert and the Arctic. With a background in molecular microbiology and 16+ years of laboratory experience, Heather loves to talk about the intersection of science and story with kids and adults!

Our Conversation with Heather:

GRP: Thank you for joining us, Heather! Is there any “back story” that inspired Trunk Goes Thunk?

HCM: Yes! On a visit to the Cook Museum of Natural History in Decatur, Alabama with my whole family, I found myself mesmerized by a video of animals crossing a river on a log bridge. The variety of animals, the passing seasons, the fish swimming under, the birds landing on the log and flying away, these animals repurposing a fallen tree - all of it captivated me. That fallen tree had found new life as a log bridge! Then I began to think about all of the opposites involved – over, under; hot, cold; fast, slow – and Trunk Goes Thunk! was born.

GRP: We love that you found inspiration in a museum! Do you have a favorite line in the book?

HCM: My favorite line is “Day by day, pawprint by pawprint, the tumbled tree is transformed into…

A bridge!”

GRP: What are some interesting conversational points your book inspires? 

HCM: In this book, I tried to capture the peaceful glory of the temperate forest and its residents. I hope to inspire a curiosity and love of nature in my readers. Along with a love of science and deep observation. Opposites are a very important tool for scientists – as a former biologist, I know how meaningful accurate measurements of temperature, weight, size, etc. are for designing and conducting experiments. 

On a deeper level, I hope Trunk Goes Thunk! inspires families to explore the world TOGETHER. That is the main theme of the book…apart becoming together.

GRP: We love this about the book, too! Thanks for sharing your insights with us and congratulations!

You can connect with Heather C. Morris online:

Website: www.HeatherCMorris.com

Instagram: @morr_writing

Twitter/X: @morrwriting

Facebook – Heather C. Morris Books