Review of Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids
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Josie Simon
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Review of Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids
[Following is a volunteer review of "Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids" by Jemima Paul, Arvind Paul.]
Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids is a children's book by Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul. The book follows the story of Emma, an eight-year-old girl who experiences several dreams of heaven and hell. Emma shares her dreams with her family, including her mother, father, and six-year-old sister, Bella. Her family uses biblical references to validate her dreams as a genuine religious experience.
One notable issue with the book is that it contradicts itself, which may confuse young readers. On page 25, Emma describes people's experiences in hell, stating that they "wore no clothes and had no hair. They were hungry and thirsty since there was no food or water for them in hell." However, just one page later, we see three people in hell in the foreground, all of whom have hair and are wearing clothes. Additionally, they appear to be well-fed. Such contradictions can be confusing and detract from the book's overall quality.
On page 12, readers get their first glimpse of a visual representation of Jesus Christ, who is depicted as a white man, which is not historically accurate. Such a portrayal is based on stereotypes and reinforces the notion that whiteness is the norm, which can be problematic for children of colour who may not identify with such a representation. It is important to understand that Jesus was a person of colour, as he was born and raised in the Middle East, and such a portrayal can perpetuate a simplistic and inaccurate view of race and ethnicity. It would have been more appropriate had the writers used research-based information to give readers correct, factual and useful information so as not to spread misinformation.
This book also suffers from significant issues with run-on sentences and grammar mistakes, such as "He must have shown you heaven so that you would know how important it is to always obey Him so you can go to live there someday" (p. 3). Additionally, several sentences are awkward and could benefit from being made more concise and clear, such as "Each time she dreamed they went to heaven, Jesus and some of the angels lifted Emma and Bella out of their beds and carried them there" (p. 3). Overall, the book feels haphazard and propagandistic, with repetitive language and having the quality of a first draft. This book would have greatly benefited from the support of a professional editor to correct such errors and improve readability.
This book also suffers from the issue of taking metaphors in the Bible and presenting them as actual features of heaven, which is not based on theological principles. The author takes metaphors from the Bible, such as Jesus as the light of the world, and uses them as actual features of heaven. For example, "Next, Emma told her family that there were no lights in heaven. Jesus was like a lamp, lighting up everything" (p.5). This misrepresentation hampers the reader's understanding of heaven by oversimplifying it to literal interpretations of metaphors instead of utilizing metaphors to their fullest extent to illuminate deeper theological principles.
Nevertheless, the authors, Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul, should be commended for their ability to capture young children's vocabulary. One example can be seen on page 3 when Emma describes her experience with the angels, saying, "The angels let go of us, but we weren't even scared." This statement perfectly encapsulates the limited vocabulary of children. The use of child-like language adds a sense of authenticity to Emma's experiences, making the book more engaging. However, this language continues outside of Bella and Emma, which makes me believe that the grammar mistakes were not intentional by the authors.
Given the various grammar mistakes, the book contradicting itself, the inaccurate portal of Jesus Christ, and the misrepresentation of Biblical metaphors, I give the book a 1 out of 4 and 2 out of 5.
******
Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids is a children's book by Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul. The book follows the story of Emma, an eight-year-old girl who experiences several dreams of heaven and hell. Emma shares her dreams with her family, including her mother, father, and six-year-old sister, Bella. Her family uses biblical references to validate her dreams as a genuine religious experience.
One notable issue with the book is that it contradicts itself, which may confuse young readers. On page 25, Emma describes people's experiences in hell, stating that they "wore no clothes and had no hair. They were hungry and thirsty since there was no food or water for them in hell." However, just one page later, we see three people in hell in the foreground, all of whom have hair and are wearing clothes. Additionally, they appear to be well-fed. Such contradictions can be confusing and detract from the book's overall quality.
On page 12, readers get their first glimpse of a visual representation of Jesus Christ, who is depicted as a white man, which is not historically accurate. Such a portrayal is based on stereotypes and reinforces the notion that whiteness is the norm, which can be problematic for children of colour who may not identify with such a representation. It is important to understand that Jesus was a person of colour, as he was born and raised in the Middle East, and such a portrayal can perpetuate a simplistic and inaccurate view of race and ethnicity. It would have been more appropriate had the writers used research-based information to give readers correct, factual and useful information so as not to spread misinformation.
This book also suffers from significant issues with run-on sentences and grammar mistakes, such as "He must have shown you heaven so that you would know how important it is to always obey Him so you can go to live there someday" (p. 3). Additionally, several sentences are awkward and could benefit from being made more concise and clear, such as "Each time she dreamed they went to heaven, Jesus and some of the angels lifted Emma and Bella out of their beds and carried them there" (p. 3). Overall, the book feels haphazard and propagandistic, with repetitive language and having the quality of a first draft. This book would have greatly benefited from the support of a professional editor to correct such errors and improve readability.
This book also suffers from the issue of taking metaphors in the Bible and presenting them as actual features of heaven, which is not based on theological principles. The author takes metaphors from the Bible, such as Jesus as the light of the world, and uses them as actual features of heaven. For example, "Next, Emma told her family that there were no lights in heaven. Jesus was like a lamp, lighting up everything" (p.5). This misrepresentation hampers the reader's understanding of heaven by oversimplifying it to literal interpretations of metaphors instead of utilizing metaphors to their fullest extent to illuminate deeper theological principles.
Nevertheless, the authors, Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul, should be commended for their ability to capture young children's vocabulary. One example can be seen on page 3 when Emma describes her experience with the angels, saying, "The angels let go of us, but we weren't even scared." This statement perfectly encapsulates the limited vocabulary of children. The use of child-like language adds a sense of authenticity to Emma's experiences, making the book more engaging. However, this language continues outside of Bella and Emma, which makes me believe that the grammar mistakes were not intentional by the authors.
Given the various grammar mistakes, the book contradicting itself, the inaccurate portal of Jesus Christ, and the misrepresentation of Biblical metaphors, I give the book a 1 out of 4 and 2 out of 5.
******
Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
