Heaven Is Real Hits #1 Globe and Mail Bestseller List

Since its release in early November 2010, sales momentum for Heaven Is for Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent has continued to surpass every expectation. On July 17, Heaven Is for Real moved up to the #1 position on the Canadian Globe & Mail best seller hardcover non-fiction list.

Heaven Is for Real also is listed currently at #1 by New York Times (paperback nonfiction), #6 (all books) by USA Today, #2 (nonfiction paperback) by Publisher’s Weekly, #2 (nonfiction paperback) by National Public Radio, and #1 (all books) by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.

In addition to being ranked near the top on numerous best seller lists, the 4 millionth copy of the acclaimed title has recently been printed.

“We’re thrilled to see Heaven is for Real hit #1 on The Globe and Mail best seller list,” said Rod Schumacher, Director of Export for Thomas Nelson, Inc. “To my knowledge, this is the first time a Thomas Nelson title has occupied the top spot on an international best sellers list; it’s great that Colton’s story of hope and inspiration is one that resonates with people all over the world.”

In March 2003, Todd and Sonja Burpo were on the verge of their worst nightmare – losing a child. Their 4-year-old son Colton’s appendix had unknowingly burst days before, and he was now fighting a life-threatening infection. To save Colton, surgery was the only option. But what would happen during that surgery was more than healing through modern medicine.

Heaven Is for Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back (Thomas Nelson, 978-0-8499-4615-8, $16.99, November 2010) is the true story of the Burpo family and Colton, who during his life-threatening illness and sudden surgery, slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He narrowly survives. Several months later while passing by the same hospital that saved him, Colton begins talking about his experiences during surgery and making a trip to heaven. The family didn’t know what to believe, but soon the evidence was clear.

Written in the first-person narrative of Colton’s father, Todd, and by New York Times best-selling author Lynn Vincent, Heaven Is for Real walks readers through the revelation of Colton’s trip, his parent’s initial uncertainties, and the lessons learned by such a small child.

The Burpo family is represented by Joel Kneedler of Alive Communications.

Todd Burpo is pastor of Crossroads Wesleyan and a volunteer fireman. His wife Sonja is a children’s minister, busy pastor’s wife, and mom. Colton, an active eleven year old, has an older sister Cassie and a younger brother Colby.

Lynn Vincent is the New York Times bestselling writer of Same Kind of Different as Me and Going Rogue: An American Life. The author or coauthor of nine books, Vincent worked for eleven years as senior writer, then features editor, at the national news biweekly WORLD Magazine where she covered politics, culture, and current events. A U.S. Navy veteran, Lynn is also a lecturer in writing at the World Journalism Institute and The King’s College in New York City.


Thomas Nelson is a leading provider of Bibles, products, and live events emphasizing Christian, inspirational and family value themes. For more information, visit our website www.thomasnelson.com OR www.goo.gl/iO7VC

For more information contact Ellen Graf-Martin ellen@grafmartin.com or 519.342.3703 ext. 1