The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom, is a worthy sequel to his bestseller, The Five People You Meet in Heaven.

Annie, eight, lost her left hand in a horrific accident at the Ruby Pier amusement park. Although the hand was surgically reattached, she still bore the scars both physically and mentally. She doesn’t remember the tragic accident, nor does she remember Eddie, the amusement park mechanic who saved her life.

Life is a struggle for Annie. She has no self-confidence and finds it difficult to achieve acceptance. One person who befriends her stands out in her young life, Paulo, but he moves to Italy with his family. Later, as an adult, he returns, they reunite and marry. Annie finally finds true happiness. But their bliss is short lived when a hot-air balloon falls from the sky.

Annie is suddenly transported into her heavenly journey where she reunites with Eddie, the amusement park mechanic. With Eddie’s guidance, she learns how her life on earth affected others. We are reminded once again how endings are really beginnings, how our lives profoundly affect others, and that every life matters.

I enjoyed The Next Person You Meet in Heaven as much as its prequel. Albom writes with heart. None of us knows what heaven is like, but it’s easy to believe that the imaginative heaven that Albom creates is plausible.