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- Verified Buyer
This is such a beautiful little book - comforting and gently written. What a reassuring book Anthony DeStefano has written, and Erwin Madrid's beautiful illustrations are the perfect complement. Little "Joey" in the book looks to be just about 5 years old - same age our grandson was when we purchased this book, and Joey has his own questions about what Heaven is like, so it immediately drew our grandson in. Typically, he's the type who would ask question after question while reading a book for the first time, but he was completely quiet, sitting mesmerized as I continued reading on about Joey's "visit" to Heaven with his guardian angel, Gabby, all of the beautiful and amazing sights there, how happy everyone is... "They're celebrating," says Gabby. "That's what happens when people die and go to heaven. They're greeted by all their friends and family. Grandpas, grandmas, mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters - everyone is here! They know that they will never again be separated, never again be sick, never again be sad or cry - and they will be able to live here together in heaven forever and ever."Over the past seven years, life's circumstances worked out so that I was given the opportunity to babysit while my daughter-in-law worked, and it has been THE best, most challenging, and most rewarding "job" I've had in my years on this earth! My daughter-in-law became a stay-at-home mom a few months ago, so I'm doing my best to battle a second round of "empty nest syndrome" by going back over some of the treasured books and toys we've accumulated during these special years. This book has been incredibly special.Our oldest grandson began all-day kindergarten in the fall of 2013, and despite having had two years of 3-half-days-a-week preschool to start getting used to the "separation" (not to mention a second, year and a half old grandson by that time with whom I'd have my hands full), we'd developed a super special bond over those first 5-1/2 years, and I REALLY looked forward to any school holidays and having him back over. The Thanksgiving break was one such opportunity, and - as was our habit when his baby brother took his afternoon nap - I plunked him into the tub to get him washed up before my son came to pick him up, and we'd sit there as he played with his bath toys, singing kooky songs and talking... so many great memories stem from those times. One day, I mentioned to him that he was just growing up too fast, and asked if he would please stop doing so, because the older HE got, the older I got! This led to him asking me how old I would be when he turned 10, 20, etc. When he got to "How old will you be when I'm YOUR age?", I responded "Oh my gosh, honey, I'll be long gone by then!" He asked what I meant, where was I going? I responded that by the time he was my age, I'd be about 100 years old, and most people have died and gone to Heaven by then. Oh my goodness - he BURST into tears, saying "But I don't WANT you to die, Grandma!" Took quite a long time to calm him down, and later that night, I began thinking about how difficult the whole concept of dying is for a youngster. Within the week, I'd found this book on Amazon and thought it'd be worth a try - pulled it out over the Christmas school break, and we read it together for the first time.He was snuggled up against me through the whole story, and I could literally feel what started out as tenseness in his little body slowly relax as we read. When we were finished, I asked him if he understood a little bit better about what happens when people die and go to heaven, how much I knew his great grandparents would be missing me and be looking forward to seeing me when I joined them, and how excited Grandpa and I would be one day when it was time for his dad to join us, and the big party we would ALL have when he finally joined us too. He said, "Yes... but Grandma? Could you PLEASE still not go to Heaven for a reeeeeeeally long time?" I told him I certainly had no plans to leave any time soon!As we're all aware, none of us knows when our ticket's going to be punched. But I think this book can be very helpful and reassuring not only to children who've already experienced a death in the family, but also to youngsters - like my grandson - who are beginning to question and may be fearful of what lies ahead. I was very happy with this little book!
