Later that evening after cleaning up all the wrappings and general mess, I picked up the little book to see why in the world she had given me such a strange present. Little did I know that I could not read through the book without crying my eyes out! Anyone who has ever read this book knows exactly what I mean.
The book begins with a mother rocking her new baby and singing to him:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
From there, it follows the child as he grows up, following every stage and how the relationship between mother and child changes......from a two year old toddler driving his mom crazy, the pre-teen years when the little boy never wants to be home for dinner, never wants to take a bath, and says bad words when his grandmother visits! But every night the mother checks on her little boy when he's sound asleep and sings the words of the song to him.
The little boy grows and grows until he becomes a grown man and moves out. Sometimes the mother drives across town to her son's home, crawls in the window and holds her son and sings her song to him.
Eventually the mom gets very old and calls her son to ask him to come see her because she's sick and old. She tries to sing to him but is so sick she can't finish her song....
When the son gets to him mom's house, he picks her up and rocks her, singing:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living,
my Mommy you'll be.
When the son gets back to his house, he goes to little baby daughter's room and begins singing to her:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
Life has come full circle...
I'm crying as I'm typing this....if you haven't read this book, please do, but have lots of tissue handy!
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26 comments:
That book always makes me cry. I need to read it now....my teenage boys are not so lovable!
I love that book...I always remind my 12 year old son about it! In fact I was just telling someone about the book the other day, I think I will go pull our copy out!
Yup, it always has that effect on me, too. Wonderful little book...
That has always been a favorite children's book around here. I love it, too. Sally
Hi Judy,
I love this book...and all books by Robert Munsch. Most of his books are funny, and this one is funny and strangely emotional at the same time.
I won't ever forget a day when I read it to my second grade class, and got tears in my eyes...this little girl that I had 'judged' to be a little tough teared up too...after that I realized everyone has a soft spot and a tender heart-if you can just get through to them! From that point on, she and I had a special bond!
Thanks for the reminder!
diane
Sounds like a great book! Do you think it would be a good gift for my 20 & 11 yr old daughters?
Judy, what a wonderful gift and book. I will have to look for it. I was crying as I read your post! Thanks for sharing!
I purchased this book for my oldest son when he was 3. I wrote a little something in it for him and I read it to him many times. I have always cried upon reading it. Years later I packed the book away with some of his special things and someday when he's a little older (probably not until he's a father or I'm gone) he will appreciate how very much I love him. For now he's 18 and, well, 'nuf said.
Oh, I love that book! It makes me cry too.. It's especially poignant for me now as my son is a big old 16-year-old "man" who is so protective of me. So sweet and worth all those rascally little boy days :)
I don't know of anyone that has been dry-eyed reading this boook :) If you haven't read any other Robert Munsch books, you need to!! My second graders loved each and every one!
Yes, this book is incredible...and never fails to bring tears to my eyes!
My best friend gave me this book while I was expecting my third baby. I still cry when I read it~
Oh yeah,the first time I read it was in college in a lit class. I have a copy for each of my boys. The way it makes you feel just can not be described.
I have this book too and I have chill bumps as I was reading this post. It is such a beautiful story and everyone should get a copy if they don't have one already!
I read this book to my son Patrick every single night when he was 3; it was his favorite AND MINE (always made me cry)He's now 18 and brought that book to college with him! It's the mose precious, endearing book ever!!
I've had this book for years. I can't read it because I always sob and sob. So beautiful.
Yes! Yes! Yes! If someone just mentions the title, I will start to cry. I gave my mom that book and she hid in her room to read it. Boo hoo. Im crying right now. WHY!!!! do they have to grow up?? I give a copy of that to my friends who find out they are having a boy. It does make a great gift.
We have that book too and love it! It always makes me cry!
A good friend of mine gave this book to me when I had my son who is now 22 years old. I can't believe I have had the book for 22 years. Anyway, I read it over and over to my kids as they grew up and still have it hoping to read it to my grandkids someday. I like to get this book for new moms too. Thanks for the smile memory.
I LOVE that book. We have 1 from my husbands childhood and it is 1 of the first ones we bought our daughter.
Hi Again!
Just wanted to let you know I hope you'll stop by my blog as I mentioned you today :)
Take Care,
Nantucket Karen
Oh that was beautiful girl..Hope you are having a great weekend and that this Thanksgiving holiday is just fantastic for you & yours!
Hi Judy,
I know, I love that book. The first time I read it was at my daycare and I was reading it to the kids, I started crying half way through it and the kids wanted to know why I was crying. Anyway, they wanted me to read it over and over. I've read it to my kids and love to give it as a baby shower gift. Thanks for reminding me about it.
Deb
So sweet, so caring, so ok I am tearing up.
Hi Judy :)
I see how it is... I come to visit you for the first time in days and you make me cry LOL That's sounds like a wonderful book :)
rue
Hi, I am Sheila McGraw, the illustrator of the book Love You Forever. I came across your blog while googling my website loveyouforever.net and was interested to see that you are in Houston. I married a long-tall-Texan moved to Houston 2 years ago and now live in Friendswood. Thanks for your kind words about Love You Forever.
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