Review of Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids
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Abby Williams 6
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- Latest Review: Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids by Jemima Paul, Arvind Paul
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.]
Have you ever woken up from a vivid dream and puzzled over its meaning for the rest of your morning? “Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids” by Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul uses eight-year-old Emma’s repeated dreams of Heaven as a tool to explain the message of evangelical Christianity to young readers.
The book opens on a tranquil family scene of a little girl named Emma with two younger sisters and two loving parents. Throughout the story, Emma begins to have dreams about her and her younger sister, Bella, meeting Jesus in heaven. As she recounts her adventures to her family the next morning, her parents realize that her dreams align with Biblical descriptions of heaven and Jesus. The story takes a darker turn as Paul introduces the concept of hell, and charges readers with the task of telling others about Jesus.
Inspired by a true story, this children’s book contains easy-to-read prose and a captivating, straight-forward plot that younger audiences are sure to follow. Paul’s setting of the scene on the first page is both warm and inviting, and Emma and her sister are particularly endearing characters. The book cites its Biblical references to create a consistency across Emma’s dream and Biblical content. These Biblical references can at times be a bit pedantic and would benefit from more incorporation into the family dialogue. Emma’s story is also accompanied by full pages of vibrant and rainbow-colored images. Though they are enticing, these images contain a lack of racial diversity – including a white Jesus despite historical evidence of his darker skin tone.
“Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids” describes a specific form of Christianity called evangelicalism, which emphasizes the personal responsibility of converting others to Christianity. The book paints Christianity in a harrowing light as the protagonist is provoked to obey Jesus and tell others about him to avoid going to hell. When I read books with similar messages as a child, I remember feeling intense pressure and fear. The description and illustration of hell may be especially frightening to younger readers. Its disclaimer to parents does not contain context on the evangelical religion nor encouragement to discuss this book with children. The mature themes of this book without any tools for discussion cause me to pause to recommend this book, especially for young readers.
“Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids” mixes beautiful illustrations and an enchanting narrative voice with threatening fears that may be scary to readers without context. I rate this book a 2 out of 5 stars, and recommend it for 5 to 9-year-olds to read alongside a trusted adult to walk alongside the reader during the mature themes and answer any questions.
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Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Have you ever woken up from a vivid dream and puzzled over its meaning for the rest of your morning? “Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids” by Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul uses eight-year-old Emma’s repeated dreams of Heaven as a tool to explain the message of evangelical Christianity to young readers.
The book opens on a tranquil family scene of a little girl named Emma with two younger sisters and two loving parents. Throughout the story, Emma begins to have dreams about her and her younger sister, Bella, meeting Jesus in heaven. As she recounts her adventures to her family the next morning, her parents realize that her dreams align with Biblical descriptions of heaven and Jesus. The story takes a darker turn as Paul introduces the concept of hell, and charges readers with the task of telling others about Jesus.
Inspired by a true story, this children’s book contains easy-to-read prose and a captivating, straight-forward plot that younger audiences are sure to follow. Paul’s setting of the scene on the first page is both warm and inviting, and Emma and her sister are particularly endearing characters. The book cites its Biblical references to create a consistency across Emma’s dream and Biblical content. These Biblical references can at times be a bit pedantic and would benefit from more incorporation into the family dialogue. Emma’s story is also accompanied by full pages of vibrant and rainbow-colored images. Though they are enticing, these images contain a lack of racial diversity – including a white Jesus despite historical evidence of his darker skin tone.
“Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids” describes a specific form of Christianity called evangelicalism, which emphasizes the personal responsibility of converting others to Christianity. The book paints Christianity in a harrowing light as the protagonist is provoked to obey Jesus and tell others about him to avoid going to hell. When I read books with similar messages as a child, I remember feeling intense pressure and fear. The description and illustration of hell may be especially frightening to younger readers. Its disclaimer to parents does not contain context on the evangelical religion nor encouragement to discuss this book with children. The mature themes of this book without any tools for discussion cause me to pause to recommend this book, especially for young readers.
“Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids” mixes beautiful illustrations and an enchanting narrative voice with threatening fears that may be scary to readers without context. I rate this book a 2 out of 5 stars, and recommend it for 5 to 9-year-olds to read alongside a trusted adult to walk alongside the reader during the mature themes and answer any questions.
******
Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Latest Review: Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids by Jemima Paul, Arvind Paul
