Children's Literature - Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

Love You Forever Written by Robert Munsch, Illustrated by Sheila McGraw

There are a number of books that adults enjoy reading to children. Books that teach morals, ones that are emotionally charged, and one that are just plain cute.  One example, is the books, Love you Forever, written by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Sheila McGraw (Firefly Books, 1986). The story tells of a mother who rocked her baby while repeating the song:

"I'll love you forever, 
I'll like you for always, 
as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."

As the years passed by, she sneeked into his room while he was sleeping.  She'd pick him up and rock his saying her favorite phrase.  The deep devotion to her son is apparent throughout his life.  But the bond between mother and son only deepens when she is elderly and unable to hold her son.  He in turns picks up his mother and repeats the phrase back to her.  The son, returns home to pick up his own daughter and while he rocks her, he shares his mother's song with her.  Thus, continuing the legacy.  

It's a loving story and could be used with pre-school or elementary students to show stages of life.  It could also be used in a parent program that teaches parents how to read to their child.  It should not be assumed that parents automatically read to their children.  They may not have experienced themselves.  

If you were to ask most people, why they love it, they would share the fond memories of their mother or father reading the story to them.  So, why isn't it a good book?  A recent Kirkus Review of the 3-D rendition of the 1986 classic, puts it this way "the pop-up take the creepiness of Munsch's paean to helicopter parenting to a whole new level"  (Kirkus Review, 2017). The ever-present mother hovering over her child while he sleeps is seen as creepy by many. Helicopter parents are not seen in a positive light in this day and age.  When the book was written in 1986, the term 'helicopter parent' probably hadn't been coined, yet.  Now, the book is viewed differently, including the artwork, which according to the review, did not age well.  The ultimate consensus is that there are many great children's books out there that are better written and better illustrated.  While many will still read it to their children because of the emotionally charged language, I would not dissuade them, but I would also recommend other books.




References

Munsch, R. (1986). Love you forever, Canada: Firefly Books.

Kirkus Review (2017, Oct. 1).  Love You Forever Pop-Up Edition. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/robert-munsch/love-you-forever-pop-up-edition/

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