Official Review: Are There Cheeseburgers in Heaven?

[BookishCreature]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Are There Cheeseburgers in Heaven?" by Stephanie L Robinson.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Death is a tough subject to talk about, even for adults. How do we have such a difficult conversation with kids? Stephanie L. Robinson takes up the challenge in her book, Are There Cheeseburgers in Heaven? This short, rhyming picture book paints a gentle and comforting picture of what might happen after death. It is probably best suited to children under ten years old.

This book tells the story of a little boy named Josh who asks his mother a lot of questions about heaven. “Do they have jump ropes, yoyos, and toys that won’t break?” he asks. “Will I spend summer days on a boat in the lake?” Their conversation is told in rhymed verse, and every line flows smoothly and without any stumbles. The story definitely lends itself to being read aloud, so this smoothness is super important. While the writing is appropriate for young readers, kids old enough to be comfortable with the book’s vocabulary will likely find storyline too immature. Younger children listening to the story will probably get more enjoyment out of the book.

Going along with the lovely writing are the lovely illustrations. The pictures are drawn in a soft, cozy style, with muted colors and hazy backgrounds. This gives the book a calm, comforting feel that goes along with the story’s gentle message. One issue I had with the book is that most of the illustrations show Josh all alone in his imagined heaven. I’m sure this was a deliberate stylistic choice, perhaps to lead up to the idea that heaven is where you get to be with your deceased loved ones again, but I couldn’t help but feel that it looked a little too sad. This is a minor nitpick, of course, because the rest of the book does a wonderful job of making the afterlife seem comforting and not scary.

It’s important to note that the author offers a Christian worldview, mentioning that the deceased go up to heaven to stay with God. She paints a sweet and easily-understandable picture of what heaven might be like – “It’s building sandcastles that won’t wash away/And knowing you’ll be with all your family one day.” Still, parents may want to make sure that the book’s message aligns with their worldview before purchasing it for their kids.

Taking into account the beautiful illustrations and the heartfelt message, I’m happy to give this book 4 out of 4 stars. I highly recommend it to any family with young children who are dealing with the harsh realities of loss. Are There Cheeseburgers in Heaven? may help kids work through their grief more peacefully.

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Are There Cheeseburgers in Heaven?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Like BookishCreature's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Dale Villanueva]

The book is very interesting, and has a good moral value

[Manang Muyang]

I'd say this book is unique as kids don't usually think of death (and heaven) unless someone very close to them passes on. But as a Christian myself, I believe this book will be good for bereaved children. It brings the hope of a happy reunion with the departed some day.
I wonder why the author chose cheeseburgers. In my country, I think kids love hotdogs more.
Thanks for the heavenly review!

[kandscreeley]

Grief is definitely a difficult subject to talk about. This sounds like a nice book, although I would have to preview it before I could recommend it to children. Thanks for your review!

[Riszell]

Wow! I like your review. As a Christian, this book will be an interesting read. When I read the title, I thought the story would somehow be similar to the animated film I've watched, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, if you're familiar with it. That was the first thing that came into my mind. After reading your review, I was convinced that this is more than a fun story as it discusses a serious subject which is death. But then I became more excited to read it as it is written in a gentle and creative approach like rhymed verses as you mentioned. I can already say that this book is brilliantly written and given much thought of by the author. Thank you for recommending it!

[Joyjoy2627]

This book is quiet interesting.

[Mr Benji]

I do have some question about heaven!
.I hope this book can give me the answer if read it.
It is interesting, BookishCreature.

Yours sincerely,
Mr. Benji.

[kfwilson6]

Wow, what an amazing concept. I like that the illustrations were meant to create a calm, relaxed atmosphere as well as the words. This seems like a great book. I love the title.

[crediblereading2]

Your review will inspire anyone to want to read this book, based on the way how you describe the author's view and style of writing. The author is obviously very thoughtful towards grieving persons concerning the loss of their loved ones.

[stacie k]

I would definitely want this tool in my toolbox when it came time to talk about death with young children! I enjoyed your review and keen insights, especially the following observation: " While the writing is appropriate for young readers, kids old enough to be comfortable with the book’s vocabulary will likely find storyline too immature. Younger children listening to the story will probably get more enjoyment out of the book." Thanks for another great review!

[KLafser]

What a great tool to help an adult have a conversation with a kid! Kids ask honest, hard questions, anything that can help us sort out the words to explain at their level (not too much info, just enough) is a plus. As always, terrific review!

[cpru68]

I found the title of this one to be so inviting. The subject of death and the afterlife isn't one that many of us sit around and ponder while we are busy living, but when someone dies, we are suddenly faced with the idea. I love that the author wrote this book to help young children, and maybe all of us, feel better about what happens after death. Kids sometimes ask adults questions that we can't always answer, so to sit down with a good book on the subject can lead to further discussion and a time of comfort. Your review was thorough and informative. I am adding this one to my want to read shelf. I have little ones around me that I could easily see sharing this book with. Thank you for your review.

[Jillpillbooknerd]

As someone that is a Christian and used to teach pre-school Sunday school, I found the premise of this book very helpful. I would love to see the actual book but I found this review very helpful!

[akj_30]

This topic is quite difficult to discuss with the children, should be take this be in positive or in negative effects.

But this book help to understand and provide a helpglful thought to improve our thinking.

Thanks for this ...

[PaigeA]

What an interesting children's book! I would love to read it. Thank you for the review!