Canada’s beloved children’s book author Robert Munsch is receiving an outpouring of support after speaking out about his ongoing battle with dementia. In an interview with CBC’s The Next Chapter, Munsch revealed the heartbreaking toll that the disease has taken on his life.
“I can’t drive, I can’t ride a bicycle, I can’t write. So it’s been really whittling away on who I thought I was. I kind of thought I would like to do this interview as a last hurrah,” he said.
CBC reports that his books are so popular that they’ve been translated into 20 languages, including Anishinaabemowin, Arabic and Swedish. To this day, Munsch receives about 10,000 letters from fans every year, according to his publisher Scholastic Canada.
The 76-year-old bestselling author hails from Guelph, Ontario, and people all over North America are sharing their favourite passages from his popular books, including Love You Forever, Mortimer, and The Paper Bag Princess.
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The entirety of Canada hearing the news about Robert Munsch; pic.twitter.com/c8yngHE0RG
— Kelly Turnbull (@Coelasquid) October 4, 2021
One of my favourite Robert Munsch books was and still is “Lighthouse.”
Loss isn’t easy. But this story really showed it in a well manner. I’ve gone through so much loss, and this story is one I often look back on. It always makes me feel better…that things will be okay again. pic.twitter.com/xNCTslmOUY
— 🌲✈️GFFan🇨🇦💫🎃 (Amphibia Spoilers) (@forever_gf618) October 3, 2021
Thank you, Robert Munsch.
A highlight from our first issue (2006) when Robert Munsch sent us a poem he’d written for a child who was afraid of her shadow. Thinking of him today. #robertmunsch pic.twitter.com/JhRDoaVvCd
— D’Artagnan (@feathertale) October 3, 2021
Munsch said he was relieved to get the diagnosis because he knew something was wrong, but he worries about the future. “I worry about what I’ll be in a year. Will I be a turnip in a bed in a year?”
The author said in the interview that he can still remember the details of his beloved stories. “My stories, strangely enough, are all there. The stories will be the last thing to go, I think.”
People all over Canada have fond memories of the author surprising their class to read one of his books, which he loved to do. One person even shared that Munsch once wrote a story about their class with all the students as characters.
Our elementary school librarian wrote to Robert Munsch for over a decade asking him to come to our small island school. One day, he showed up out of the blue and the school stopped for a day. He told stories to everyone from K-8th grade. 1/ https://t.co/g3hlAQlV1s
— Geraldine McGoo (@Stahp4RedLights) October 3, 2021
Robert Munsch is amazing author I remember writing a letter to him when I was in Grade 5 asking if he would visit my school and he came to my school it was really amazing that I met him I will never forget the day I met him. #Guelph it was one of the best memories I will charish. https://t.co/utwoj1vZg1
— Joshua Redwood (@JoshForGuelph) October 3, 2021
#TBT: once upon a time, my son & I met the one and only Robert Munsch at the @OakvilleCentre, where he gave a live reading of “Love You Forever”. #Memories #LifelongReader #IReadCanadian pic.twitter.com/SsNbVx3wF9
— Mrs. Julien-Sullivan (@amusebook) September 30, 2021
Not to be sentimental on the tl but I remember in elementary school our class wrote a letter to Robert Munsch and he wrote us back an entire story where he included every single one of our names as characters and it was probably the most exciting thing to happen all year https://t.co/exTmL2VV1L
— laura (@flowersindeath) October 3, 2021
It’s clear that his tales continue to hold a special place in many people’s hearts, and that his legacy will never be forgotten.
