The true story behind iconic children’s book ‘Love You Forever’ will break your heart

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Most of us have read the iconic children’s book “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch. Love it or hate it, it’s a book that most of us either grew up with or read to our children.

But do you know the heartbreaking and beautiful true story behind the book?

Munsch, a children’s book author, came up with the book’s most famous lines (“I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be”) as a way to grieve the loss of two of his children.

His wife delivered two stillborn babies within short succession, and the overwhelming sorrow felt unbearable to Munsch.

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As a way to cope with his feelings, he created this private poem that he would say aloud to himself, saying that it was his “way of crying.”

The story within the book is poignant enough: A mother watches her son grow from infancy until he becomes a father himself. Meanwhile, she grows old and frail, and the roles reverse as he cares for her the way she once did for him.

But the backstory behind its creation makes it even more powerful.

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It’s a beautiful tribute to the two children that Munsch and his wife lost, and it’s a refrain that has made parents everywhere cry as they read it to their children.

Take a look on social media, and a good number of posts about the book also mention tearing up.

By putting his grief to paper, Munsch has been able to bring comfort and peace to so many parents and children. Indeed, some people have chosen “Love You Forever” to read aloud at funerals and others have even chosen to bury their parents with their beloved copies of the book.

Perhaps the reason why the book has become such a touchstone for so many people is not just because of Munsch’s talent, but because the lines came from such an honest place — a place of beauty, pain and deep, enduring love.

No wonder it has become a fixture in so many baby’s nurseries.

Check out this video about the children’s book and its origins:

What about you? Do you have any special memories of this book?

[h/t: Huffington Post]

Curiosity, Entertainment, Family & Parenting, Music
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About the Author
Bridget Sharkey
Bridget Sharkey is a freelance writer covering pop culture, beauty, food, health and nature.

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