by: Mrs. Schoolbus
When I used to teach first grade, one of my favorite authors was Robert Munsch. We all know and love his classic Love You Forever. Who hasn’t shed a few tears after reading that one?! That book tugs at your heart strings, but I love all his books that tickle your funny bone. I have quite a collection from my classroom library which is now at home, and I can’t wait to read it with Little SB when she is a little older. I think children who are 4 or older will enjoy having this book read to them, and when they are 6 or 7, they will get the humor behind the books. I love the bright and funny illustrations and the repeated phrases, which the kids can say with you throughout the story.
While studying to be a priest, Robert Munsch worked part time at an orphanage. He ended up quitting the priesthood and decided to work at a daycare for a while, where he would make up stories to entertain the children. He was encouraged to publish those stories and eventually did! His stories are based on real kids he has met or his own children. He takes things that kids do and exaggerates it, which results in a quite entertaining, silly story.
One of the things that I love about this author is his website and how there is a recording of him reading many of his books out loud. It really shows what a great story teller he is with his animated voice! I sometimes would use it in my classroom instead of reading it myself so that the students could experience a guest reader. Sometimes I would listen to it myself so that I could emulate it and try to be more animated in reading the stories to my students.
Some of my personal favorites are: Love You Forever / Stephanie’s Ponytail / Smelly Socks / Zoom / Alligator Baby / Andrew’s Loose Tooth / Mmm, Cookies / We Share Everything / Aaron’s Hair / The Paper Bag Princess / Thomas’ Snowsuit / Show and Tell / Purple, Green, and Yellow / No Clean Clothes / More Pies! / Get Out of Bed!
From I’ll Love You Forever:
My favorites aside from I’ll Love You Forever pictured above, are Stephanie’s Ponytail, Smelly Socks and The Paper Bag Princess.
Stephanie’s Ponytail is about a little girl who wants a ponytail a certain way. Her mother agrees each morning to give her that specific ponytail. She goes to school each day to some teasing but what happens at the very end will make you laugh out loud at how silly it is.
Smelly Socks is about a little girl named Tina who buys some colorful socks. She never wants to take them off and what happens throughout the story will have you giggling like crazy at Tina and her smelly socks!
The Paper Bag Princess is about Princess Elizabeth who is set to marry Prince Ronald but her plans are ruined by a dragon. Most stories involving a princess, a dragon and a prince usually ends with the prince defeating the dragon and rescuing the princess. I like how this story’s ending is different with Princess Elizabeth outsmarting the dragon and rescuing the prince!
Have you ever read any of Robert Munsch’s books?
grapefruit / 4584 posts
My daughter picked out Angela’s Airplane at the library a few weeks ago. I thought it was kind of ridiculous and didn’t like that there was no real consequence for the little girl’s action, but DD loved it and has been saying “Oh, yes yes yes yes, it’s ok” (the repeated phrase in that book) to herself ever since we read it.
kiwi / 511 posts
You have got to be kidding me “Love You Forever” is such a creepy book, let me just drive over to my grown adult son’s house and break in by climbing up a latter. It was gifted to us and I read it once and holy cow was it just amazingly creepy. I handed it to my DH and said read this and tell me what you think. He said the same thing, that book has left our house.
kiwi / 641 posts
Paper Bag Princess is a definite favorite here- big fan of the message and DD likes it a lot. I haven’t read many of the others yet.
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
I love Robert Munsch and especially Paperbag Princess- I love the message even more now that I have a daughter. That reminds me I have to pull it out and read it to her again.
cantaloupe / 6630 posts
Love Robert Munsch! I forget the title, but I love the one about the girl in the wheelchair. DD loves Mortimer and Paper Bag Princess.
blogger / apricot / 349 posts
@PinkElephant: My students would laugh at the silly pictures and say the repeated phrases. too. It kind of sticks with you even if you don’t want it to.
I started liking this book more when I found out that Robert Munsch wrote the verses (I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, etc.. ) as a song after he and his wife had two stillborn babies. His books are definitely not for everyone.
@Mrs.Maven: Yea, that part does sound a little creepy but I think the point of the story is the fact that your kid will always be your baby no matter how old they get.
@abmamma: @Foodnerd81: Yea! Paper Bag Princess is so funny. Can’t wait to read it to DD when she is older!
@travelgirl1: The wheelchair one is called ZOOOOOM! My students loved that one! They would say ZOOOOOOOOMMMM all the time.
guest
My almost 3 year old son’s favorite book is Mortimer! I loved Mud Puddle when I was a kid!
guest
Being Canadian I grew up with mr. Munsch stories and now we love reading them to our 2.5 year old son. His favourite is Mortimer for sure. They are so fantastically irreverent. Not all kid books need to have a lesson to them!! They get such a kick out of the craziness. I used to think Love You Forever was super creepy until I found out it’s the author’s favorite because he wrote it for his stillborn babies.