PreS-Gr 2—An unnamed little girl and her brother are sad because their grandmother has died. They wonder where she has gone and reach for the Holy Bible to find the answer. As the girl narrates in rhyming verse, the children find comfort in the images of Heaven included within the scripture. They learn that God's home is "a great big house…filled with gifts and laughter and love." No one is sad or in pain there and "the Light is always on." The best part of Heaven is that Jesus is there waiting for them. The children recite a special prayer inviting Jesus to live in their hearts. The delicate watercolor and pencil paintings portray Heaven as a joyous place teeming with children engaged in happy play. A tiny angel hides somewhere within each picture. In the back matter Lotz asks, "Did you know that everything you just read about Heaven is the truth?" She goes on to state, "What you have read is an application of God's Word as it is found primarily in John 14:1—6 and Revelation 21:1—27." She also provides a list of questions to spark discussion about the ideas in the book. Lisa T. Bergen's God Gave Us Heaven (Waterbrook, 2009) and Maria Shriver's What's Heaven? (Golden Books, 1999) are more uplifting, child-friendly alternatives.—Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA
A sister and brother ask God to tell them about heaven, and God describes a place where "you can swim with a shark" and it will "never get dark." Illustrations show smiling, serene children running through castles and playing in parks (curiously, there are few elderly people in heaven). Clunky rhyme, a literal biblical translation, and a purposeful ending limit the audience.
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