Heaven is for Real (original 2010; edition 2010)

EVERYONE should read this book. Ok. Let me say this again... EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK. Yes, it's THAT good. ( )

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. When I lost my son last year, I got a lot of the "he's in heaven now, and you'll be with him again some day" comments. And I wanted to believe, I really did.. But I've always had a problem with faith. It would be so much easier for me to accept losing him, if I could truly have faith in him being safe and happy in a better place. But it's a hard thing to believe... Try though I might.

Several people in a Compassionate Friends support meeting recommended this book to me, and said it might help me find some faith.. Might make it a little easier for me really believe that my son is in a better place. So I read it.. And I'm not sure what I feel.

First of all, I'm not quite sure that this is a book that a parent who lost a young child should read. It tells the story of a family that almost loses a young child, and that alone triggered a lot of emotions. Longing for my son.. Sadness at his loss.. And jealousy. Because this family almost lost a son, while I did lose my son.

There's a line near the end, that really upset me...

Speaking of Colton’s experience in heaven, people have said to us, “Your family is so blessed!” In the sense that we’ve had a glimpse through the veil that separates earth from eternity, they’re right. But I also think, Blessed? We watched our son almost die.

I read this and I think... Yes, you are blessed. You watched your son almost die. But you have him with you now, he's growing up and is healthy and happy. You are blessed beyond belief.

While it did give me a lot to ponder.. It also did wonders for the guilt I feel because of my loss and the circumstances surrounding it. And I mean that in a not so good way.. It goes on and on about how they prayed and prayed, and God granted them their wish, God let them keep their son. I didn't pray, because I had no faith, I didn't believe, or at the least I didn't care. I saw no need to, I didn't know he could be taken from me. Is my son gone because of my lack of prayer? Because of my lack of belief? Because I didn't appreciate his mortality? If I had prayed the right prayer, could I have saved him? Was I not a good enough person to save him? I know these questions are silly in a way. Scratch that, I know they are silly in every way. But reading this story brought the questions repeatedly into my mind, it wasn't something I could help.

And the questions, of course, don't stop there.. Beyond those questions, were the questions that those questions inevitably led to. If the answer to those questions is yes... And it's my fault because I lacked faith.. The question isn't "Why me?" it's "Why my son?" Why did he have to be punished for my wrongs and for my lack of faith? But like I said... These sort of thoughts aren't new to me. These are questions I deal with every day, and eventually hope to work through. Reading this story just amplified them for a short period of time.

For that reason, I definitely wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who has lost a young child and is still dealing with the grief and guilt associated with that loss. Beyond that.. I need time to think about this story, to process it, discuss it, research it. I want to believe.. I want to make the right choices so I can be with my son again one day, if that's a possibility. But to make the right choices, and to believe.. I have to do it right. I have to find real faith, not conditional faith (faith based on the condition that I'll get to be with my son). It's not something that can happen over night.. But I hope one day to find peace.

With that, I'll end this review. It's been a revealing one, and I'm hesitant to post it. But... It's a part of who I am now. I have to embrace it or hide it.. And I won't hide Lucas. ( )

A fun, light reading of a little boy’s awesome journey during his near death experience to the supernatural world beyond. ( )

Truly an inspirational book; not to proud to admit that I actually cried several times and learned a few things ( )

This book came to me highly recommended, so I read it. I want so much to believe all that this says, but sometimes, I'm just not sure. I find myself thinking about my own son, who is now 23, but who at Colton's age had an active imagination that was quite detailed. I could almost hear him make up stories about what he thought Heaven was like. If it's true, however, that he didn't know about the miscarriage and could identify the grandfather he'd never seen when he saw a picture, then maybe there is some truth to it. I want it all to be true, and the book did make me think, but I just don't know. It's a quick read - let each reader judge for him/herself. ( )

Wonderful. ( )

How this book doesn't get 5 stars by everyone is beyond my understanding. Such an honest retelling of true events. This family is truly lucky to have lived this experience. Yes, very traumatic, though. I can't imagine facing the possibility of one of my children dying. BUT, wow, what they have all learned through this remarkable experience!!! The way that Colton explains some of his experiences in heaven have helped me understand certain aspects of death... How he describes the Holy Spirit simplifies all the difficulties we adults have when trying to understand these abstract concepts. If you want to be in touch with your spirituality, or if you want to renew your faith in God, pick up the book. What a breath of fresh air!!! ( )

Reading this book fills me with a confidence in my faith and a comfort in God's sovereignty unknown to me before. You can doubt this story if you want to, but it only takes a little faith to be filled with the Spirit as you read the kingdom of heaven through the words of this 3-year-old child. ( )

Reading this book fills me with a confidence in my faith and a comfort in God's sovereignty unknown to me before. You can doubt this story if you want to, but it only takes a little faith to be filled with the Spirit as you read the kingdom of heaven through the words of this 3-year-old child. ( )

If you have some doubts about your faith, then you should red this. It’s a fascinating story about a little boy’s journey to heaven and back. By the end of this book you’ll definitely want to meet this family. I read this book because I think that everyone would like to know what heaven and god are like.

In Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo, the Burpo family takes a roadtrip to visit the kid's aunt and see a few things along the way. It takes a terrible twist when Colton, a 3 year old little boy gets extremely sick with stomach issues. At first his mom assumes its just a stomach bug but when things look worse he gets taken to the hospital. No big result until a few weeks later. Colton has to have surgery preformed on his stomach and no one is sure if he will make it. He comes out fine and all is well. So the Burpo's head back home. One day he and his father, who is a pastor are playing and Colton makes a connection to what he saw in Heaven. His father is taken back and cannot beleive it. But it happens more and more and everything reminds him of Jesus or what he saw in Heaven. He died for 3 minutes during his surgery. This book is about Colton's remarkable journey to Heaven and back.
Heaven is for Real is an amazing story. I'd give it 5 stars! It shows how Heaven will be if you're going up in beautiful detail. It always keeps you hanging and wanting to read more about Colton's experience. I would reccomend this breathtaking book to anybody interested in religion or Heaven or anybody who just likes good stories! ( )

I'm too cynical and my theology too different to really enjoy this simple book. ( )

This was truly such an uplifting and inspirational story that helped me get through a really tough time in my life, when it seems like nothing else could give me hope. There is so much speculation whether this could be true or not but in my opinion, true or not, it really helped open my eyes up a little bit. I believe that the Burpo's honestly believe each and every word that was written and prove to be excellent examples for how to live your life. No one will ever know the truth of the matter until your time comes, and then you won't be able to share it with others, so what does it hurt to just believe a little now?

As being a mother who has also lost a child to miscarriage, it helped me find some peace and understanding that I had not been able to find in the seven years since the miscarriage.

I think I can honestly say that there has been no book that has impacted me quite like this one, to where I can say I still think about it over a year after reading it!

In my opinion, you can't go wrong reading this book, even if it's just to give yourself a little spiritual uplifting (and I am not the most spiritual person, by far - even though I should be!)

Truly touching! There isn't one person that I would not recommend this book to! ( )

Quite an interesting story. Although it seems improbable for a family to believe every little thing their 3/4 year old tells them, the story itself was inspirational. A nice quick read. ( )

Wow! This is bound to be a winner. Four-year-old (incidentally, a very impressionable age) son of midwest pastor, slips into unconciousness, and has visions of heaven. My guess is that if George Lucas' son slipped into unconciousness he would have visions of Star Wars. People want to believe. Little children, being so impressionable, are more likely to believe the preposterous. Whey do we dismiss UFO nuts, and people who believe in unicorns, but we still pay more than adequate attention to people, who claim to have visited heaven and come back?

Whether or not you actually believe the events of the book, it is well written and an entertaining read. For many people this will be a confirmation of already held beliefs. For others it will be read as a work of fiction. For me, it is a study in the power that one's faith can have in their own life as well as the lives of others - be it good or bad. ( )

I'm not saying I don't believe this kid could have had this experience. But his stupid dad ruined it by making it sound like a Bible lesson. I only made it a third of the way through, but Dad related every single thing his son saw to a verse of the Bible. Way to go Dad.

So I'll preface this by saying the following:
1.) I would have never read this of my own accord. I read it only for book club.
2.) I was skeptical going in.
3.) Though I'm a born-and-raised Catholic, I would classify myself as an agnostic, at best.
4.) I'll also admit I skimmed huge chunks of this book. It was the only way I was going to get through it at all. It was worse than I expected.

Things that Bothered Me (in no particular order):
1.) The first half of the book is the father rambling about his illnesses. Yes, I'm very sad the guy had kidney stones and breast cancer and [some other ailment I can't remember]...but I don't see what any of that has to do with the kid getting sick.

2.) If this was all so moving, why did they wait seven years before writing the book?

3.) The kid is 11 now. Don't you think that's old enough that he could have wrote the book on his own? Or at least contributed a chapter in his own words?

4.) Others have said this, but it bears repeating: isn't it convenient that this miracle happened to a pastor's kid? The dad keeps going on and on about how Colton just "couldn't have known" about so much of this religious stuff. Really? Kids are remarkably perceptive. I would find this all much more moving if it had happened to a kid who had never heard "the good word."

5.) The parents only dragged the story out of the kid over the course of years. As a parent, this is extremely odd to me. If my kid started telling me one day he'd been to heaven, you better believe I'd be asking some questions, and right now, not five years later.

Finally (and this verges on a rant), it kind of annoys me how many Christians are saying that this changed their life / moved them to be better parents / etc... I'm sorry...you have the Bible. The WORD OF GOD isn't enough for you? It takes a fairy tale as told by a three year old to convince you that maybe you should get your act together and start acting like a Christian?

Fundamentally, I was just the wrong person to read this book. I am not its target audience. A belief in heaven presupposes a belief in God. Until you can sell me on that, there's not much this (poorly written, highly questionable) book is going to do for me.

ETA (2/2012): I think it's pretty clear I think this particular book is crap. However, if you're interested in first-hand, post-death experiences, I'd suggest reading, "90 Minutes in Heaven". It's similar in its premise--a man dies, spends 90 minutes in heaven, comes back and tells his story--, BUT it's experienced by an adult and told by that same adult. (Unlike "Heaven", which is merely the dad's retelling of the kid's story.) I read it several years ago, but remember being much more impressed by it. I will offer the caveat that I was a much better Catholic/Christian at that time than I am now, so that likely colored my perception of the book. However, even accounting for that, "90 Minutes" is certainly the better written book. ( )

Another Christian book I picked up without being anything more than barely spiritual myself. And another Christian book I picked up without being anything more than barely spiritual myself that I was disappointed in.

Did this book make me believe there is a heaven? Not any more or less than I did before I read it.

What annoyed me most about this book was that Colton's descriptions of heaven were so completely accurate with scripture. I don't think it is possible that, if there is a heaven, the people who wrote that particular version of the Bible that Todd Burpo references got it right down to a tee. There are so many different versions of the Bible that each version is bound to have different thoughts of the details of heaven. Yet Colton's "visit" lined up perfectly with the details in the Bible his dad used to preach.

The second most annoying thing in this book is how saturated it is with scripture. It makes it feel preach-y. Definitely not something I enjoyed.

I don't profess to know what (if anything) happened to Colton Burpo. However, I do know my own mind. And my own mind didn't enjoy this book. ( )

Disappointment, dread, consummation, laughter, tears, wonder, amazement, pride ? all are emotions I went through while reading Heaven Is For Real. Disappointment came because I couldn't start reading the book when I wanted to because it's arrival via my mom was postponed. The dread was felt once I had the book in my hands and had to make myself sit down to read ? funny how that is. Even funnier was the fact that as soon as I started turning the pages and reading, I was totally consumed. I was consumed with the story of a boy, his family, and their incredible journey through tremendous struggles. So wrapped up in the words that I finished the book in one sitting.
Regardless of religious beliefs, this book has the power to evoke emotions from deep within, passionate emotions. Confession: I cried. Not unexpected when reading a book about death and illness. Everyone is someone's child, and those connections are so touching that when they are threatened to be broken, it's hard not to get emotionally attached. I laughed. The complete naivety and honesty of a toddler is precious. Colton's spirit and witty comments kept my emotional roller coaster going.
The main concept of the book, Colton's recollection of heaven, is what brought in the loops of wonder and amazement to my coaster. I was filled with complete awe some amazement that so many pieces of his story fell perfectly in to the religious puzzle. It's hard not to go in to detail, but I want to make sure that anyone who reads this book is truly as surprised as I was at every new tid bit of information.
After sitting down and reading the whole book without unfurling from my warm ball in bed, I felt pride. First of all, just pride because of that concept itself. I also felt pride because it really made me question and reflect on my own relationships within my faith. It takes a powerful book to provoke that level of personal reflection. The author, Colton's dad, does a great job of letting the story tell itself and not letting the words get in the way.

Kaitlin K. ( )

When a young boy faces a medical emergency that nearly costs him his life, his survival is just the first surprise. Four year old Colton begins telling his parents about his journey to heaven during his surgery. He is able to provide details about deceased relatives that he never met, describe Jesus, and even glimpses about the future. For those with the faith to believe, a comforting portrayal of life after death is shared through the eyes of a child. ( )

What is it like in heaven? Through a young boy's breathtaking account of his visit to heaven,poignant answers emerge that will forever change the way you think about God and eternity.Colton's journey to heaven provides a wealth of insight into this place described in the Bible.

Erin Quinty
October 29, 2012
Final Draft Heaven is for Real
Class : The Bunny foo foos

Heaven is for Real
Colton Burpo, a four year old boy lives with his dad Todd, mom Sonya and big sister Cassie. They all live in a small town of Imperial Nebraska. For the Burpo family things have taken a rocky path in life. Todd, a minister in a small church of imperial has taken a long time off work due to a broken leg and has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. But after a long road of recovery, they decided to take a needed vacation to Greenly Colorado the Butterfly Coliseum. But yet once again things took a rocky turn, this time on Colton. From a happy, hyper kid to not stop throwing up Colton, out of nowhere he had become extremely ill. After a rush to the hospital the doctors have diagnosed Colton with a ruptured appendix. Under surgery without anyone knowing Colton takes a quick trip to heaven and back.
Heaven is for Real written by Todd Burpo is based on a true story about his four year old boy named Colton that take a quick trip to Heaven and back. He talks about his little boy’s life changing journey about what Heaven is all about. This is a phenomenal book that brings you through a story about a hard time in the Burpo family. With vivid and very descriptive words Todd’s book made me want to keep reading. He really made me understand what was going on throughout his story. Not only did this story change the Burpo family forever, it changed me. I would recommend this book to anyone age 13 and up.

"Heaven is for Real" is an inspiring story about a little boy's experience in heaven. Its simple wording makes it easy to read for ages 10 and up. I gave it four stars because depending on the setting, like a school classroom, the content may be controversial. However, in a sunday-school class, children could draw pictures of what they think heaven will be like. The teacher could also create a reading circle for children and their parents to read together. ( )

A little boy's astounding story of his trip to heaven and back