“Heaven is For Real,” by Todd Burpo

I recently had the chance to read and review Heaven is for Real, by Todd Burpo. It is the true story of a little boy who, during an emergency operation, visited heaven and returned home. His story came out in bits and pieces as he talked to his parents in the months following the surgery, and is retold in the book by his dad.

In all honesty, I was skeptical as to whether or not I would enjoy this book. I’ve read other things that talk about “near death” experiences and things like that, and I always come out of them with mixed emotions and little desire to hear any more stories like it. This one caught my attention, though, since it is the story of a child, so I requested my free copy from the publisher and gave it a shot.

I plowed through the book in less than 2 days. It was a very easy read and, truthfully, caught my undivided attention from the start. The writer’s style isn’t particularly amazing, but the story itself speaks for itself. The little boy’s descriptions of his experience in heaven and the things he saw there are incredible. He speaks with incredible detail, though he speaks with the innocence and limited vocabulary of a preschooler.

Whether you choose to believe everything in the book or not, it definitely gives you plenty to think about. I’ve been reflecting on some of the little boy’s stories since I finished it, and I think I probably will for a little while. I highly recommend the book to current believers in the Gospel of Christ, and even to those who are skeptical about spiritual matters. There is a lot to think about regardless of what you currently believe.

Heaven is for Real is available through Thomas Nelson Publishers. I received my copy of the book in exchange for providing an honest review. I was not compensated in any other way.