Wait Until Then

By Randy Alcorn

Book Overview

2008 ECPA Christian Book Award finalist! A story of promise about Nathan and his grandfather and their shared love of baseball. It uses the form of story to teach children about heaven, following... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1414310412
• ISBN13: 9781414310411
• Release Date: February 2007
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.5" x 10.8" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 6 to 10 years
• Grade Range: Grades 1 to 5

Customer Reviews

I love the illustrations......

Doron Ben-Ami is the illustrator of this book. He did an amazing job on each piece.

Touching and Wise

Randy Alcorn's Wait Until Then is both touching and wise. Any parent who wants to explain what happens to us when we die, how to deal with the death of a loved one, and how to cope with serious disappointment will want to read this book with their child. The book introduces us to Nathan, a boy of about 9 or 10, and his grandfather. We learn that Nathan loves baseball, and that his grandfather once played in the major leagues. Nathan and Gramps share lots of good times playing catch, talking about baseball, and fishing, but Nathan has a great disappointment in his life. He's in a wheelchair. Too, Gramps is slowing down. He uses a walker, and he has cancer. Yet when Nathan asks Gramps if he misses baseball, Gramps replies he'd rather play catch with Nathan than play next to some of the great major league players. "I'm grateful for my baseball years," Gramps says. "But they weren't as important as other things - like marrying your grandma and having children, including your mother." Gramps tries to help Nathan cope with his negative feelings about being in a wheelchair. When Nathan bemoans the fact that he can't play ball, Gramps reminds him: "One day you will [run the bases]...God promises that one day we'll live on a New Earth. He'll fix everything. Nothing will be bad there. And we'll have better bodies than the greatest Olympic athletes." Gramps also tells Nathan that God had a special reason for putting Nathan in a wheelchair, whether or not they can see what it is just now. He also explains what Nathan needs to do to accept God's gift of salvation. Then Gramps goes to the hospital. When Nathan visits, Gramps reminds him: "I want you to love Jesus and pray to him every day. It's fine to enjoy baseball. But remember, everything we love should cause us to love Jesus more, not less." Gramps dies, and Nathan recalls everything his grandfather taught him. He looks forward to the day he and Gramps can play baseball together. The last two-page spread of the book shows Nathan running the bases on God's New Earth. What I Like: This book could easily have been trite or preachy, but it's neither. The story brought tears to my eyes, and I believe it will touch you and your children, too. I also like that Alcorn has backed up his fictional story with plenty of Bible verses. And the illustrations, by Doron Ben-Ami, are amazing! They are rich and lifelike...so much so, many look like photographs, not drawings. I can't imagine better illustrations for this book. What I Dislike: If you're not a baseball fan, there might be a a couple of moments where you find yourself wondering what the characters are talking about. However, the moments pass quickly, and do not detract from the overall beauty of the book. Overall Rating: Excellent. Kristina Seleshanko Editor of Christian Children's Book Review

This book is a treasure!

Do you remember being a kid and loving the smell of the freshly printed pages of a new book?! I do! I know - I'm a 'book-a-holic'! Seriously though, this book is one of those wonderful books that has the ability to take you back to being a child. It has that nostalgic smell to the pages...but it is beautifully written and put together - the most important part. The theme message (regarding loss of a dear one) is well written for kids and even adults. I recently lost my dear Dad and this book has been wonderful for my four children. I had to read it to myself a few times to get through the tears so I could read it to them without being so choked up. The pictures draw you in, it is incredibly graphic. This book is a treasure to my family.

Great to open dialog with children about Heaven

Wait Until Then by Randy Alcorn is a beautiful story about a wheelchair-bound young boy and his grandfather who is dying of cancer. They share a great love for baseball. Nathan wants more than anything to be able to run and walk like other kids so he can really play baseball. His grandfather knows this and tries to show him that there are other things far more important. They have many good talks as they fish, play catch, and just spend time together. As Grandpa explains why we have suffering and bad things, he also talks about a time when all will be made new and Nathan will be able to run and jump just like other boys on the New Earth. Grandpa also tells Nathan and his brother and sister about Heaven and how Jesus is building a special place there for each person. Alcorn designed this book to be used to open dialogue with children about Heaven--what it is like and how to get there. The plan of salvation is presented within the story. Every page is a full-color illustration of the story. It is recommended for the ages of six through ten and will be a great book to be handed down from generation to generation. - Linda Demorest, Christian Book Previews.com

Fantastic story, beautifully illustrated

I read Wait Until Then to my 8 year old son last night. He followed the story and liked it a lot. I thought it was great and the illustrations are just incredible--some of them look like photographs!