Love You Forever is a picture book meant to showcase the love between parents and children. In the story, a mother gives birth to a son and promises to love him forever. She repeats this promise throughout his life. At the end of her life, the son tells his mother how he will love her forever and that she will always be his mom. The son then continues the tradition by giving his baby girl the same speech.
The story, written by Robert Munsch, has seemingly received adoration by the masses since 1986. One blogger, however, recently challenged the narrative presented in the tale.
Marlene Kern Fischer took to Facebook on April 22, 2024, to express her disdain for Munsch’s children’s book. “This is a little difficult for me to say,” Fischer began her social media post. “I know that many of you will consider my words blasphemous,” she continued.
“However, I can no longer hide my true feelings. I hope that those of you who disagree with me will not judge me too harshly … I hate the book Love You Forever. There, I’ve said it.”
Not only did Fischer share the ways in which she believed the book plays on the reader’s emotions, but she also delved into the relationship between the mother and son.
“When her son grows up, the mother drives across town and sneaks into his house when it’s dark to sing to him and rock him,” Fischer shared in her Facebook post. “Does no one else find this incredibly unsettling?”
Some agreed the bond between the mother and son is questionable near the end of the book. Others, however, accused Fischer of reading too much into the story.
“I think it’s more symbolic than literal,” wrote one social media user. “10000000% over-thinking this book and missed its point,” another reader shared. “It’s just about the unconditional love between a momma and her child and how she taught that child how to love his baby.”
Robert Munsch released Love You Forever on October 1, 1986. To date, more than 15 million copies have been sold.
When recently commenting about his motivation to write children’s books, Munsch made it clear that enjoyment is his aim. “My stories have no adult morals,” the author said. “They’re not to improve children. They’re just for kids to like.”