Love you Forever, Robert Munsch; Illus. Sheila McGraw
From Goodreads:
The mother sings to her sleeping baby: "I'll love you forever / I'll love you for always / As long as I'm living / My baby you'll be." She still sings the same song when her baby has turned into a fractious 2-year-old, a slovenly 9-year-old, and then a raucous teen. So far so ordinary--but this is one persistent lady. When her son grows up and leaves home, she takes to driving across town with a ladder on the car roof, climbing through her grown son's window, and rocking the sleeping man in the same way. Then, inevitably, the day comes when she's too old and sick to hold him, and the roles are at last reversed. Each stage is illustrated by one of Sheila McGraw's comic and yet poignant pastels.
I first heard about this book on the Austen listserv of all places. Educated people questioned this story and what it teaches. So extremely intrigued, I bought it. It made me cry. It creeped me out. But in the end, it made me cry and I knew that there was something about this story that would stay with me forever. The debate over the mother crawling in through the grown man's window and rocking him caused a bit of controversy on the listserv and they found it to be extremely inappropriate. But I think what Munsch was saying was that no matter what age, your children will always be your baby. Regardless of size, age, and where they live.
For anyone who has children or parents, this book is beautiful written and the illustrations just bring the story to life.
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oh Laura, this brings on the tears everytime I read it! Such a great book - I actually have 2 copies, one for each of the boys :)
ReplyDeleteI can't even get through the book without crying. I would never have even thought about the creepy factor on my own. Okay, yeah, maybe a little, but still...a touching reminder about how much we love our kids.
ReplyDeleteThis book is so so beautiful. I read it when I was a lot younger and someone gave it to my aunt when she was expecting. I cried even then.
ReplyDeleteI love this book! And everytime I read it, I cry!
ReplyDeleteRobert Munsch is an awesome writer. I am also a huge fan of his book Zoom!
First time here at this blog. Its very nice and interesting. I wanna to visit here very often.
ReplyDeleteI love this book! My mom read it to me when I was little and she would always cry. Now I get a little teary when I read it to my kindergartners!
ReplyDeleteHi Laura, thanks for let me here at this blog. I read you profile you are different from others. I like it very much.
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love this book. My pediatrics instructor read it out loud to the class and I sat there BAWLING!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's one funny cover!
ReplyDeleteMy cats adore the toilet paper. I find globs of it all over the bathroom at least once a week. Too funny.