Parents all across the world love the book Love You Forever by author Robert Munsch. But most don’t know the story behind the story.
I remember the first time I picked up the book with the powder blue cover. I had no idea what I was in store for when I opened to the first page. To say there were tears is an understatement. One might even say I was not-so-quietly sobbing.
If you’ve read it, and I’ll be most of you have, you know why.
Love You Forever
This sweet little story takes readers on an emotional journey that begins with the birth of a child, a little boy, and continues through his life to adulthood when he has a child of his own. (I won’t say more on the slim chance you haven’t read it.)
Moms (and dads) come alongside Mom in the story because the truth is, we know her. We are her. She’s delighted on some days, and frustrated on others. She’s proud and she’s fiercely protective. So are we.
Here’s what the author himself has to say about his work.
“Love You Forever started as a song,” he says on his website. “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living my baby you’ll be.”
For those of us who’ve read it, we can’t help but sing it, too. Are you singing it in your head with me?
Robert goes on, “I made that up after my wife and I had two babies born dead. The song was my song to my dead babies. For a long time, I had it in my head and I couldn’t even sing it because every time I tried to sing it I cried. It was very strange having a song in my head that I couldn’t sing.”
From heartbreak to healing.
What an incredibly sad period of time for Robert and his wife, Ann. That kind of pain is so heavy and dark I’m sure they must have felt like they might never be okay again.
But knowing he somehow managed to reroute a small portion of their shared anguish into the creation of something so beautiful is heartening. Out of one couple’s limitless sorrow and loss came incalculable tears of love and joy and healing from millions and millions worldwide.
Robert would like to hear you sing Love Your Forever
From his website: “Everybody makes up their own song for this book. If you send me your version, either as a tape or an audio file or an MP3 file, I will try to put it up in the LOVE YOU page. If lots of people send me their versions, I will not be able to put them all up, but I would like to hear them even if I can’t put them on the site.”
In closing, if you love Robert’s work you should check out more of his work as he’s a prolific children’s author. You can purchase the book on Amazon HERE.
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17 comments on “Love You Forever | The Sad But True Story Behind the Book”
When my son was in his 40’s things weren’t going the best in his life. and I had sent him the quote.” I’ll love your forever, I’ll like you always, as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be. We lost our Mark at the age of 50 to a fatal heart attack! My love forever!
So sorry Sally.
When I managed a book store, I kept a little stack of “Love You Forever” and a box of tissues at check out with a little note stuck on the tissue box. “If You Can Read This Without Tears I Will Give You A Free Copy”. I would sell out of that stack of books every week and I never gave one away, had to replace the tissue box a couple of times though.
I believe that Michele! Thanks for sharing.
I worked in an elementary school library for years. Truly one of our favorite authors for adults and kids alike.
I taught First Grade for 30 years. Love You Forever was one of my favorite books to share with my class. My kids loved to tell me about their Grandparents and the ways in which they helped each other. One of my students would usually have to finish the book, because I was crying too hard at the end. Such a heartfelt story for us all.
I love the above book and have it to all 4 of my kids when they graduated Gr. 12, and read it to my youngest grandson often. But our family favourite is Good Families Don’t, about the Fart
I read this book in my early years of teaching before I was a mom. When my son was born he became my world. He was my everything. I read this book to him. As he grew I’d keep reading and every time I would cry. Now that he a man I gave him his own copy. He and his wife have decided not to have children. I’m a little sad for he will not experience these same feelings.
Read this to my son every day/night. Hes 21 now and remembers. I have the book in hopes of when he has a child, later!!! I will give it to him for his baby.
I’ve read and given this book to the my children when their babies were born. It is wonderful and touching. Life is precious and our babies soon grow up and have babies of their own.
I love this book. I often give as gifts. I gave a copy to our son on his Wedding Day. Yes, it touches your heart. I now will remember the story behind the book
Thank you for informing me of the background of Robert Munch’s book. Another interesting fact is that Robert Munch is Canadian. We need to sing praises to our Canadian authors and artists.
My third child a boy. I’m not a very good Mother. I didn’t have a good upbringing. I would read it to my son. Crying wishing I was better at my job. I must have done something right. He is now a very good Father. This book helped me and maybe him. Thank you
I remember this beautiful story, and how sweet and heart wrenching it was. I owned it once, but lost it. Where can I buy it again?
Hi Nancy. It’s such a great story isn’t it. You can buy it Here.
I used this book in so many instances. One Mother’s Day.I read it to the the children during the children’s sermon and I still choked up. I always cry. It is amazing, so amazing that half the church told me they loved it and wanted to know how to get one too
I had a student insist I buy this book and read it. I love it as an elementary school librarian. I would read every year for Mother’s Day and every year I would cry my eyes out!!! I always give this book to someone that’s about to have a baby. I would read it to my daughter and son often and they loved it, and to this day my daughter is 32 now and I always end our evening conversation with “I love you forever I like for always and forever you will always my sweet angel baby!!! It gives us both great peace and comfort to end our call with these extra special words, for that I thank you with all my heart ♥️ my gave us special memories to cherish