Review of Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids

Susan Gibbs · Post by **Susan Gibbs** » 13 Mar 2023, 04:05

[Following is a volunteer review of "Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids" by Jemima Paul, Arvind Paul.]

5 out of 5 stars

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Snatched up To Heaven for Kids written by Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul is a lovely 35-page illustrated children’s book. The book aims to teach children about Christianity. Some pages of the book have text, some have illustrations and some have both. Emma is 8 years old and lives with her parents and 2 younger sisters. Her parents have taught her about God and Jesus. One night she has a dream. She and her sister, Bella, are taken to Heaven by angels. She enjoys exploring Heaven. She tells her family about her dream and her parents remind her of the Bible verses which discuss what she has seen in her dream. One night, she is shown what Hell is like. Everything about Hell is opposite to Heaven. Seeing the unhappy people there reminds Emma of the importance of spreading the message about Christianity. This book serves as a good teaching aid for children (and adults) about the basic principles of Christianity.

I liked the format of the story. It is a good idea for Emma to have a dream and learn more about Heaven in that way. I admired the way that the authors depict Emma’s parents listening to what she tells them and then confirming what the Bible says about what she has witnessed in her dream. The story is written in a simple manner and the information is explained in a gentle, step-by-step way. Some of the pages have Bible references that parents and caregivers can use to look up the relevant verses. Another good point is that there is a special note to parents at the end of the book reminding them of the importance of teaching their children about God and Jesus.

I also liked how the book is balanced by mentioning the existence of Hell. This is not presented to scare children, but rather as a reminder to take Christianity seriously. Another helpful aspect of the book is that the authors include a short heading summarizing what the next few pages are about. The authors are teaching readers without readers realizing this because the book’s format is a story. I enjoyed the cute and colourful illustrations. They are quite detailed and encourage discussion.

The only slightly negative issue I experienced with the book is the first word of the title. In my opinion, the word ‘snatched’ has a negative connotation. I feel the authors could have chosen a different word that captures the gentle way in which Emma and her sister were transported to Heaven. Other than this, there is nothing I disliked about the book.

This seemed to be a well-edited book. I did not spot any errors. I enjoyed reading this book. I feel that it positively conveys the basic knowledge of Christianity that children need to learn. I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.

I would recommend this book to children from about 4 or 5 years old. It summarizes the essence of what Christians need to know in a logical and appealing way. It also serves as a simplified, useful reminder of the basics of Christianity for older Christians!

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Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids
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