Familiar with it?

This story always provokes strong emotions in readers....They seem to fall into two categories....

A) Amazing story that speaks of love that is passed on through generations in a family....Instant classic

B) Creepy and depressing tale of an obssessive Mother stalking her until she dies....Horrible story.

Personally...I think it is better left for adults to give to their children who have become new parents..but it is an amazing book.

I don't read it unless my 2 year old brings it to me...and he did again today.....

I can't ever finish this book without crying....and I'm a big burly tough guy.

--Go*sniff*Sox

My sister-in-law (also the mother of two boys) gave this to us with the birth of our first son. I used to think it was touching and sweet. Now I think it borders on creepy. And I can't get past the bad drawings in it - poor perspectives and scale. There's one where the stair railing doesn't go all the way around the staircase on the upper floor, so you'd fall right down the hole if you weren't paying attention. And if you look at the face of the boy when he's upside-down on the couch and talking on the phone he looks possessed. Not that I could draw a lot better, but it bothers me. This used to be a staple in our nighttime repertoire, but I weaned them off it and now it's stored to be handed down to one of them in 20+ years.

-AG

I also cry buckets every time I read this.

Woodsong

It is an awesome book. If you enjoyed it, I suggest you check out some of Robert Munch's other books. They're not all quite so "sappy" (I think you know what I mean), but they're all really interesting and fun. My personal favorite is Purple, Green and Yellow.

Here's the author's webpage:

http://robertmunsch.com/

Enjoy!

Jenni P

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I can't ever finish this book without crying....and I'm a big burly tough guy.

Ha! My wife taunts me with this book, since she knows I get all weepy... "Katie, would you like daddy to read Love You Forever to you?"

Then when I have no choice in the matter, she will start quietly in the background singing "Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Raaaaaal..." (another one of those sappy moments that gets me all goopy).

She's an evil one, my wife.

-wassamatta_u

Oh, man, I heard this story the first time in a children's literature class when I was teaching and they actually handed out tissues to us BEFOREHAND. Then I got it for my mom and gave it to her and cried more. Then SHE read it to HER mom (who passed last summer) and SHE cried.

Frankly, it IS a little freaky when she comes in and he's an adult (freakishly strong for an old woman), but the rest is just a a tearfest (and I'M a big tomboy!)

The (something in my EYE) Sprite & the (lotta DUST in this room) Highlander

I just had to chime in here. I live in the same city as Robert Munsch. He's a wonderful human being who's always willing to help out with fundraisers for schools and daycares. Once in awhile he'll do a storytelling session at the public library or my son's school.

When Love You Forever was first published, there was an article in the local paper about it. Robert Munsch and his wife lost two babies just after birth, and he sang them that song as he held them in his arms.

I can't read it without weeping, especially knowing the story behind it. I think of it as a book for parents rather than a book for kids.

If you're interested, his Paper Bag Princess is by far his best work, a true classic.

Yeah, my mom gave it to me when my wife and I had our first child. Definitely produces tears.

J

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I just had to chime in here. I live in the same city as Robert Munsch. He's a wonderful human being who's always willing to help out with fundraisers for schools and daycares. Once in awhile he'll do a storytelling session at the public library or my son's school.

He's a saint as far as our school is concerned. He came by last year as part of our 75th anniversary and the kids were thrilled beyond belief. Knowing this about him just makes it even more touching.

OMG!!!!!! I cannot believe the author of that book is Robert Munsch!!!!! We had that book and I fall into the 2nd category. Creepy! I disliked the book so much that it was one of the ones I donated out of this house a couple years ago (and we tend to hold on to books like packrats, but I was glad to see that one go). I never realized it was Robert Munsch! We have a giant book called Munschworks which is a book of about 20 of his stories which we have read so much that the cover fell off! Every time I read to my son's class, he makes me read stories from this book only. The kids (3rd grade) love them so much (as do I--Purple, Green, and Yellow is my personal favorite) and they are hilarious. I'm just so shocked that he wrote that creepy Love You Forever book!!!!!!

Amyrica

I LOVE Purple, Green and Yellow. Guess it's the artist in me. I think it should be the official children's book of letterboxing. She colors herself with markers, much like we get our fingers colored. lol

Jenni P

I can be sentimental (I've been known to sniffle at Tomie de Paola's La Befana, even) but that book just creeps me out. I found it weird and offputting. I also dislike The Giving Tree, even though everybody else loves it. Luckily, my kids were more interested in Captain Underpants and the Cut-ups at that age.

Last time I really cried for a book was The Remorseful Day by Colin Dexter.

Mariette

See now, I just love the Love You Forever and I laugh at the little old lady following her son around. (and cry at the end). But I hate the Giving Tree. I don't get the lesson there. We should give and give until there is nothing left. And the tree doesn't even get loved in return. That's a book I've been trying to sneak out of our house-hate it, hate it, hate it!

spring and snake

I agree with you on the Giving Tree too! We love Shel Silverstein's poetry books but I've always been surprised at the Giving Tree's popularity! Thanks for validating my feelings on that one.

Amyrica the agreeable

I cry at the end of The Giving Tree. Of course, I also cry at The Kissing Hand.

Woodsong

Now, The Kissing Hand is a genuinely sweet story! That one I love!

Amyrica

The one that gets me - I have to work REALLY hard to not cry - is "You Are My I Love You". We don't read it too often. My 3-year-old's current favororites are "Make Way for Ducklings", "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day", and "T'was the Night Before Christmas", which I've discovered I LOVE to read out loud!!

n.
drexel girls

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"Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day"

One of my all time favorites! I'd love to hear about other favorite read-aloud stories.

My just-turned-six year old loves "How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight", "Verdi" (or anything by Janell Cannon), and is starting to enjoy the "I'll Read to You, and You Read to Me" series by Mary Ann Hoberman.

My 20 month old loves "The Mitten" by Jan Brett, "But Not the Hippopotamus" by Sandra Boynton and any of the Maisie stories by Lucy Cousins.

We'd love to hear recommendations from this extremely well-read group!

Trailfeathers

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We'd love to hear recommendations from this extremely well-read group!

How I Became A Pirate is fun, especially if you can fake a good Pirate brogue. I like anything illustrated by Debi Gliori or Anita Jeram (Tell Me Something Happy, Guess How Much I Love You or the Sam the Bear series). Both my boys like classic Virginia Lee Burton (The Little House, Katy and the Big Snow, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Choo Choo) and those books are eye candy for me. I love her drawing style, and the typography layout is so beautifully a part of the overall design. My youngest loves Curious George, too.

Oh, I can't forget I love you, Stinky Face (there are two other Stinky Face titles, too) and anything illustrated by David Catrow is a good bet, too.

One of my favorite illustrators is Bill Peet. He used to be a Disney animator, and I believe all of his books are illustrated with crayons. Favorites include Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent, Smokey, Buford the Little Bighorn, The Caboose Who Got Loose. Some of them are written to rhyme, others are regular narrative. He has a little trouble with endings, but the stories in general and imagery as a whole is fun.

-AG

Oh wow...lol...where to start....

The Dot and Ish by Peter H. Reynolds. I read these to art students at the beginning of the year, but the message goes beyond art. It's really about enpowerment and what can be accomplished.

Skippyjohn Jones is a new favorite. My kids love the little kitty who wants to be a Mexican bandidito. And, also about a cat is Bad Kitty. It's an alphabet book, but really cute. I encourage my 8 year old to read it to my 6 year old.

An oldie but goodie around my house is Fox in Socks. The boys like to see how far I can get before I finally get tongue-tied. At one point, I could recite The Cat in the Hat from memory, but it's fallen by the wayside for a bit.

And, this is just a minute sampling...lol...

Jenni P

One of our favorites is The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman. It doesn't get me as emotional as "I'll Love You Forever" but there is a moment at the end where my eyes feel damper than they did. We have worn out two copies, I think, and given several away as presents. And anything by Sandra Boynton is too much fun to pass up!

P. (but not the armadillo) Banks/4LP

anything by Sandra Boynton

Ohhh..yes....Hippos go Berserk is a fav...use it in an art lesson!...lol

Jenni P

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And anything by Sandra Boynton is too much fun to pass up!

AbsoLUTEly! I refuse to get rid of those books - they're in the box for the grandchildren. My personal fave is Snugglepuppy, which is even better once you've heard it sung by Eric Stoltz on the Philadelphia Chickens CD (which is hilarious on it's own, especially "Far Away Cookies" and "Belly Button."

:)
-AG (now humming "SnugglePuppy")

"The Piggy in the Puddle" delighted my son when he was small. Don't remember the author.
"Put Me in the Zoo" was another good one.
"Monsters Come in Many Colors" was what he wanted Daddy to read.
It's a slow day at work, so I can't look at the books to get author's names. They are on the shelf of books waiting for the grandbaby to be old enough to be read to at Grandma's house.

The one that gets me - I have to work REALLY hard to not cry - is "The tale of Three Trees" by Angela Ewell Hunt.

I just cannot help myself every stinking time I read it my voice quivers and tears flow. Even when I try not to let that happen. My kids are always amazed that mom has tears. they just stare at me!

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel was my favorite as a child!

Sounds like I'll have to practice my pirate voice and find a copy of How I Became a Pirate.

Aye, ye landbubbers... aargh!

TF

I have also had the same reaction to the Giving Tree. Yes, the tree's love is unconditional, but the kid's a real brat!

Now, there is One book that I detest so much in spite of it's enormous popularity... Rainbow Fish. One beautiful fish that the ugly fish hate b/c he's different. Once he gives them all his pretty scales (so that Everyone looks exactly the same) then they like him. What message does that send to our kids?

HP~ shaking her head in non-understanding~

Have you seen the CD of Piggorian Chant that Boynton did several years ago. All the farm animals speak in Latin, except of coarse for the pigs, who speak in the exalted form, i.e. Pig Latin. "Ore-snay, ore-snay" is how the day starts out... I'm somewhat ashamed that I know as much of it as I do from memory.

PB/4LP

Now, there is One book that I detest so much in spite of it's enormous popularity... Rainbow Fish. One beautiful fish that the ugly fish hate b/c he's different. Once he gives them all his pretty scales (so that Everyone looks exactly the same) then they like him. What message does that send to our kids?



Now, I see your point, but as I recall the story, the fish would flaunt about and show off his shiny scales, no? So, in the end, he learned to think of others instead of just thinking about himself, so it was a nice moral. Am I remembering incorrectly? It's entirely possible. It's been several years since I've looked at that one.

Amyrica

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I have also had the same reaction to the Giving Tree. Yes, the tree's love is unconditional, but the kid's a real brat!

I thought I was the only one who didn't like this book. It's not really that I don't like it, it's just that something about it just doesn't seem right. It gives me the creeps, if you will.