Snapshots of Heaven: 40 funny, profound, real-life stories about Children [Paperback]

Michael Wells (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2005

Too often we miss those special moments and fail to recognize them for what they really are: glimpses of heaven before our time. That's the premise behind Snapshots of Heaven, a remarkable and heartw

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Michael’s book is a reminder that we need not go further than our children to rediscover what’s important.” --James B. Levine, CEO, Childhood Resources, author of The Privilege of Parenting

“An outstanding and unforgettable celebration of the special love we get from children.” --Pamela Papola, M.D., FAAP Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician and Mom

“Michael Wells gives all of us magic vision, letting us see eternity in a brief moment with a child.” --Rabbi Leigh Lerner

About the Author

Michael Wells is an author, entrepreneur, husband, and father of two. A lifelong resident of Montreal, Canada, he earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Montreal’s McGill University, where he wrote extensively for the university newspaper and local and regional publications. After college, Michael launched a business all the while staying active in his children’s lives. No matter what happened with the business, Michael always took great delight in the adventures and experiences he shared with his family, particularly all those times when his children and he wanted to document them. He soon indulged his passion for writing and began preserving many of the experiences he and his family had over the years. As his book began to take shape, he shared his stories and ideas with others, and their enthusiastic reactions added fuel to an even greater vision that had begun to emerge. Not only did Michael want to share his own experiences with his children, but he also wanted to encourage and motivate adults everywhere to tell their stories of the little ones who “take them to heaven before their time.” As a member of the Montreal Chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers, Michael plans to carry his message to audiences everywhere, to aggressively pursue opportunities for radio and television interviews, and to relate, in future volumes, the stories of other parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and anyone else who has ever been caught in the magical spell of children. The author and his American wife, Laure, have been married for 18 years, and are the parents of 15-year-old Jeremy and 13-year-old Jenna. Michael has played a very active role in the lives of his children, and has coached his son’s hockey and soccer teams and his daughter’s soccer teams for many years. Jeremy and Jenna have provided the many “snapshots of heaven” that Michael describes, in delightful detail in this book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Snapshots of Heaven Publishing (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0973796502
• ISBN-13: 978-0973796506
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,386,735 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Discovering What You Missed..., June 7, 2006

By 

Jackie McKeefery (Sound Beach, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Snapshots of Heaven: 40 funny, profound, real-life stories about Children (Paperback)

As you read this book, you go through every emotion that there is, whether it is happy, sad, laughing, or crying. When you are done, the book leaves you feeling forfilled about all the wonderful expierences the author had to offer about his snapshots of heaven. The wonderful part about this book is that the book doesn't have to just be about the authors kids, it could be about anyones children. It truely was an amazing book. It explored what life has to offer and how wonderful it is to have children teach you things that as you grow up, you miss because being an adult makes you overlook the little things in life. Everyone should take some time out and read this book, it truely made me realize that it doesnt matter how old someone is, listent to them, because they might actually teach you something.

4.0 out of 5 stars Snapshots of Heaven, December 1, 2005

By 

Mary Simmons "simmonsmry" (Wroxeter, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Snapshots of Heaven: 40 funny, profound, real-life stories about Children (Paperback)

There are moments in life we take for granted, but if we examine them
closer, we will find they were moments of absolute truth when the greatest
life lessons were learned.

In 'Snapshots of Heaven: 40 Funny, Profound, Real-Life Stories About
Children,' author Michael Wells says these moments come from our children,
who are angels in disguise, teaching us lessons of love.

Wells shares 40 stories from his own experiences as the father of a son and
daughter. He urges other parents to slow down from their busy lives and take
note of the moments when they received 'snapshots of heaven' from their
children.

He says the initials from the title also point to another key thing our
children do for us: Save Our Hearts. Through our interactions with them, our
children remind us of why we live, love and laugh.

While the individual stories from his own family are entertaining and
joyful, Wells doesn't stop there. He encourages readers to cherish their
children and create their own snapshots. After each section of the book, a
space is provided for parents to paste in a picture and write their own
story about everyday lessons they learned from their children, special
occasions and growing up.

The stories are short and to the point. In each, Wells succinctly recounts a
moment from his life as a parent in which he learned a profound life lesson.
Each story also contains a relatable moral truth. These stories are easy to
read and can be enjoyed quickly during a few moments of reflection.

Wells reminds us that our children are treasures and we should learn from
their wisdom. While we often think of adults as the ones with the life
experience needed to teach children, 'Snapshots of Heaven' reminds us that
it can often be the other way around. Our life experiences frequently leave
us jaded, cynical and looking around the corner for the next big thing. We
can end up neglecting the most important aspects of our lives and ignoring the moments that should mean the most to us.

'Snapshots of Heaven' is a delightful glimpse into these moments in one father's life and will have readers recalling their own memories of the children who have touched them. The stories within the pages of this book will make their way into your heart and soul. You will find yourself returning to them when you're in need of a little hope and inspiration, or just to put a smile on your face.

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, November 21, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Snapshots of Heaven: 40 funny, profound, real-life stories about Children (Paperback)

I think this book was really good because it's fun to hear stories about other peoples life. I know michael wells very well and I never knew he would become such an amazing author to write such an interesting book! I think that it is very interesting that someone could remember all those stories from along time ago. i think that alot of people should read this book!!