Thursday, July 5, 2012

Children's Books That I Can't Read Without Crying

I Love You Forever



I remembered this story, vaguely, from childhood.  It didn't really mean much to me then.  But when I was pregnant with Sly, my mother-in-law gave me a copy of the book, and it instantly turned me into a weeping mess.  Even before my boy was born, I was already sad about the day when he would grow up and leave home...


The Runaway Bunny


 Another classic about a mother's love for her little boy.


Home For A Bunny

Written by the same author as the Runaway Bunny.  This is an exceptionally well-illustrated story about a little bunny looking for a home.  All the creatures he meets refuse to let him live with them, until the end when he meets another (presumably female) bunny...and I don't know why, but I can't read that part without getting choked up.


The Giving Tree

The Boy just takes and takes.  And the Tree never stops - joyfully - giving.  I cry over the complete love of the tree for the Boy, even as it destroys her.  A true Christ figure, in that regard.



What stories bring on the tears for you?

7 comments:

  1. Someone gave me Love You Forever, and when I read it while pregnant I had tears streaming down my face.

    One I had growing up which my mom gave us a copy of is Bob and Jack: A Boy and His Yak. That one makes me cry. Keith unwittingly tried to read it out loud to Michael and had a hard time getting through it.

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  2. I have all those books! Love Me Forever is my favorite as well. I used to read it to my little boys - who are now young men with no children. My oldest son passed away 9 years ago, and I can't help but think of him when I read certain books. The Giving Tree was one of his favorites!

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  3. When I was growing up we had a cassette tape of the author reading "Love You Forever". We listened to it A LOT. Loved it:)

    The "Lord of the Rings", particularly "The Return of the King" make me weepy every time.

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  4. The boy in the Giving Tree really upsets me. I cry for the poor selfless tree and feel annoyed about the selfish boy. I can't read Love You Forever without crying, but The Runaway Bunny doesn't make me cry at all. Guess How Much I Love You occasionally makes me cry. I always have to have a funny book on hand when I read some of these books so I stop crying while reading to the baby.

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  5. I can't read love you forever. It rips my heart. Guess how much I love you gets me also.

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  6. On The Night You Were Born :)

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  7. i never understood the power of i love you forever and the giving tree until i was a pregnant. i read them to the little boy i nannied for a couple times and found myself choking up {which of course was ridiculous to a three-year-old, ha ha!}.

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