This review is part of the Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Write-Off I would like to thank MaryTara for inviting me to join, and would encourage everyone to read the great Bedtime Story Reviews that have been written by some of the best reviewers at Epinions. Their names follow at the end of this review.

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I have to admit, I cannot read this book aloud to children without crying. I think as you get a little *ahem* older you realize how quickly time does fly, and how quickly your children are grown up.


The Story

I did manage to read it to our Family Day Care....but of course got very choked up by the end. The children loved the story, and loved saying the main verse with me:

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

Our story starts out with a woman holding her new baby and saying those special words to him. Each page has the boy growing and growing and of course becoming more and more difficult to handle at times, but of course a Mother's love is always there, and at night she would hold him and rock him and tell him of her love for him, and sing him his special song.

Throughout his teen years and into adulthood she sang him his special song...even going across town after he had moved out of her home, and climbing a ladder up into his room where she would take him into her arms and softly sing:

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

As she got older and older, it became impossible for her to rock her son and sing his song to him.... but her son was able to hold her gently in his arms as he sang to her:

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

***Spoiler coming, if you don't want to hear the end of the story...stop here...lol****

After singing to his Mother, the man goes home, climbs his stairs, goes into his daughters room and picks her up and rocks her and sings to her:

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


The Illustrations

The illustrations in this book are very well done, and interesting. The people are drawn to look realistic and the edges and colors are sharp.

The drawings have a fifties look to them, with the furniture and other surroundings having that fifties look to them. I notice near the end of the book, when the boy/man is talking on the phone, it is a push button phone, so the passage of time is evident in the illustrations.

All of the pages have text on one page, and an illustration on the opposite page, with an occasional small black and white drawing on the text page, such as a child's handprint or a piece of pie. These black and white drawings add to the text page, and relate to the age of the boy at that part of the story.


My Feelings

I LOVE this story. This book really does tell of the circle of life. How the mother loved and cared for her child until she was unable to care for him any longer, and how his love for her endures until he is caring for her.

Having the man go to his Mother when she is ill, and pick her up and gently rock her and sing her the song, brings me to tears every time!

This story really represents how a families love endures all, and continues on from Mother to her child and back to the Mother again....and of course then a Fathers love for his child and teaching the lessons that were taught to him.

The warmth and love of this book makes it a wonderfully reassuring story to read to children.


Nuts & Bolts

Love You Forever was written by Robert N. Munsch and illustrated by Sheila McGraw. The 32 page paperback that I have is the 52nd printing done in 1996. It is published by Firefly Books Ltd.

Barnes & Noble lists this paperback version for $4.95.

The age recommendation is 4 - 8 years old, however I believe that there is no limit on what age would enjoy this story....I know that this Gramma enjoyed it very much!

ISBN: 0-920668-37-2


Write Off Info.
Thanks to MaryTara and Aril10575 for hosting this write off! If you have a moment and would like to read some more submissions like mine, please visit these members profile pages & reviews:
marytara (host) * ariel10575 (host) * bearysweet * bluehawq * bops_mom * bonniesayers * char.mike * chalathra * cindyjean * cripper * deaser26 * debbietipton * donnie013 * donnamr * dramastef * erinrounds * faireheart * frazzledspice * greatpilgrim * hawgwyld * jbduckling * jo.com * kamel622 * katopasna * kittyokc * kristinafh * kurt_g * lisado * lisa_j * lisaw1215 * melissaSRN * mind-full * mnehr * mtbat * myd1976 * MumMumMum * my3lilmen * naphtalia * prepoia * ritag11 * rock_on * remsmom * sailinshoes * sblaydes * shantel575 * staceys1 * tandaw * tiffer0220 * tritter72 * vbfc * vormancian * willeftk * xiphoid

Direct links to these participant’s reviews and information about the write off check out this site which was created to make your life a little bit easier :o)

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Recommended: Yes