Love You Forever
Author: Robert Munsch
Illustrator: Sheila McGraw
Published: October 1986
This wonderful story is based on a mother’s love for her son. The story showcases her journey of love from the time he was an infant until his adulthood which also includes his wild behavior in between. As he grows older, so does she, and the cycle is reversed and a new one is created.
- I believe that this book showcases the characters as individuals. It’s not necessarily outside the mainstream norm, because mother’s and children is a normal thing.
- My book doesn’t really show much culture, other than motherhood. There wasn’t a father mentioned in the story as the boy and mother grew old, so it somewhat gives readers the hint that she may be a single mother, since the time period started from the boys infancy until his adulthood with no father mentioned. Some stereotypes applied to single mothers is that they are incapable of raising children, mainly sons, without the help of a man. This story proves that wrong, since the boy grew up healthy, and happy.
- It’s actually pretty hard to decide who has the power in this book. Throughout the boy’s childhood, his wild behavior “drove his mother crazy,” but despite all of that, at the end of the night she would rock him, and sing him a lullaby while he was asleep. Overall, I think the mother has the power.
- The mother definitely gets all the credit for the wisdom. The nature of her wisdom was caring for her child and his crazy ways and giving him all her love every night.
- The son didn’t really receive consequences, it was more of the mother, because he drove her crazy. I guess you can say that the mother was more of the one receiving both punishment and rewards because she was honored to be his mother and displayed that every night.
- The language in this book is very soft and nurturing, which is usual traits applied to mothers. The images in this book is very clear on how the son has caused some chaos and how the mother displays her love and affection for her child. The images are realistic and normal to our world and aren’t fantasy like.
- During the boy’s childhood, his voice was missing, but his actions were loud. The mothers voice is very clear and as the story ends, the man now has the voice.
- I think that the narrative and illustrations presented in this story show that mothers will always be loving and nurturing and that boys will be hectic.
- I think that the boys role, can portray the stereotype that boys can be rebellious and not display affection during their childhood/adolescent years.
- The problems displayed in this book are temporary. Yes, the child may have caused some chaos and frustration for the mother, but that’s how it works, because every night, after a hectic day, it all fades away and the mother is nurturing and loving towards her son. As the story progresses, the tables turn and the man is now the one singing his mother the lullaby and rocking her to sleep, when she ultimately passes. The story then continues onto the man doing what his mother did to him, with his new child, which recreates the cycle.
- I would highly recommend this book. This book is a wonderful way of showcasing a mother’s unconditional love. It gives readers insight on mother’s journey’s as their children grow up but in the most fun and thoughtful way. It’s more emotional than it looks, and will give readers a warm feeling.
This book was very clear and very easy to understand. It was simple, which is what I think would catch most readers attention. There are only two characters in this book, but I think that it’s easy to have readers view in both perspectives of the son and the mother.
The characters in this story are white. There are no extreme stereotypical characteristics displayed in it, as well. As a matter of fact, it’s the opposite. The story does not mention a father figure role, which gives the audience a hint that the mother may have been a single-parent.
The illustrations are very realistic, which is also another reason for readers to love this book. It shows real life illustrations on how children are and what they grow into. Both the mother and son, remain as the same characters from beginning to the end.
I believe that the lifestyles of the characters in this story is generally accurate. Yes, most neutral families tend to be predominantly white, but that doesn’t mean that there are no single-parent households that belong to them. It’s just a normal lifestyle and relationship between a loving mother and son.
The narration of this story is very culturally authentic. It’s narrating from a mother’s perspective! It shows everything from a mother’s frustration to her unconditional love.
The mother’s role in this story is the true definition of a mother. It shows her hardship, her ups and her downs but at the end of the day she’s always the loving, caring, warm-hearted nurturing mother that every mother is depicted to be. Her role is simple and dominating at the same time. I find it dominating because she is the primary caregiver in this story and there is no husband or father figure role that is represented in this story. With society’s standard that a boy needs to have a father present, this story gives readers the belief that they aren’t always necessary in the picture.
The son’s role is also very effective. He’s a boy. He’s a hand full, rebellious and wild, which are they typical traits for boys. The social norm for boys/men is for them to be macho and strong and not display affection. This story also goes against that. The boy did not reject his mother’s affection, nor did he display affection throughout his childhood and adolescence, but as soon as the tables turned and he grew into adulthood, he wasn’t afraid to display his love and affection for his mother.
I think that this book can give children some insight on how childhood and growing up can be. Toddlerhood is wild, childhood is fun and messy, teenage years are rebellious and adulthood is when reality hits and everything is appreciated. I think that children can think “well I’m at this age and I’m the same way. Maybe I’ll progress like when as I get older.”
References:
"10 Quick Ways to Analyze Children's Books for Sexism and Racism". Adapted from the original brochure which was published by the Council on Interracial Books for Children by the California State Department of Education. Sacramento, Bill Honig, 1998.
Bliss, Kellie. "Evaluating Children's Literature". (2015). Online Article.
Munsch, R., & McGraw, S. (1986). Love You Forever.
