in thinking that the Robert Munsch book "Love You Forever" is...

[SchrodingersSexKitten]

...not just the saddest children's book ever, but simply the saddest book ever?

Just read it with DD for the first time and had tears streaming down my face and her asking, "what's happened to your eyes, Mummy?"

Bloody book should carry a health warning!

Oh, oh, oh I cannot even look at the cover. My mother gave me a copy when I was an adult (and she wrote some extra bits in it too) - she was trying to express what she had such trouble saying out loud . As she died not long after, the whole thing still leaves me a a weeping mess and when someone gave ds1 a copy when he was born, I couldn't even get though the first line.

I think I know the one - and if it is thet one I am thinking of I am almost welling up just thinking about it

Still, if you're after a really good, solid, cathartic cry, then it's brilliant!

Have looked on amazon and yes that is the one I am thinking of. The last page is very sad.

Oh, I've just found the origin of the book

Not to be looked at if you feel sad already here

And here it is on youtube.

Yes it is an incredible book.
I know some people have found it a bit creepy but I think it is magical and can make myself cry by singing the song.

I thought it was going to be some bland kiddy fable, à la "Guess How Much I Love You"....so was completely unprepared for it. Interesting, it says on his site that it is his bestselling book.

Agree, but that youtube recording is creepy!

Remember on Friends when Joey did the 'dramatic reading' of this? I sobbed like a baby. Beautiful.

I so should not have googled that.

Vivia thats where we first heard it and searched for it when dd was born...its her favourite story and its been dusted off to be read all the time again these past few weeks, dd likes me to say the line to her each night 8-)...we also love guess how much i love you..so we're not to maudling

Oh, I hate it! Sorry

Can you imagine the poor DIL thread on MN?
AIBU
"My MIL breaks into my house at night through our bedroom window and rocks my dh in her arms. This is so weird that I am pretending to sleep through it but this can't go on"

LOL at AngryPixie, put it in the AIBU book thread.

I hadn't read it when somebody recommended it to me but sent a copy to a mate who was two weeks post-natal but she has forgiven me.

Can't read it aloud without choking on the words

I love it, someone gave it to me for my ds1's birthday, he was stillborn. It means a lot to us, and moreso when I found out that Munsch wrote it about his baby son who died

It's been my favourite book ever since I've first seen it.

It's not sad though, it's the normal order.

It makes me howl. Though my parents spoil the effect somewhat by singing the song to the tune of "On top of old smokey, all covered in cheese, I lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed ...."

Dd1 is a bit about it all.

"If that kid was asleep she's pick IT up and rock it". IT? "She'd craaawl across the floor", it's like something by Stephen King. I'm obviously missing something, I hate the book.

famishedass yes, i agree it is the normal order, but that can be sad too.

My DD asked me why I was crying and I replied it was a sad book and she laughed and said, it's not sad, it's funny, esp when the little boy flushes his mummy's watch down the loo. TBH, that made me sad, too, because she is so little and has yet to experience loss and has it all to come.

Sorry, must go and hide this (my own!) thread before the whole day is lost to sadness.

I grew up with Robert Munsch's stories and used give this book to friends who had babies, but it wasn't until someone gave it to me after DD's birth that I cried. I cry every time I read it. I actually have to hide it sometimes

I don't know if it's as much a sad book, perhaps emotional is a better work for it (It should definitely carry a hormonal warning with it though)

I also can't get through On The Night You Were Born without sobbing either.

The Youtube clip is scary.....never come across this and can't say I like it much ...she picks IT up......wtf??? I can see the point, and see why it gets to people, but, no.....prefer the ending to The Baby who wouldn't go to sleep.

Btw It doesn't say 'picks it up' in the book, it's 'picks him up'

I well up when I think about it. We don't even have a copy in the house, I'd be a snivelling wreck reading it to my two.

I thought it was the worst book in the world... ever. Ludicrous at best, creepy at worst.