Our fave children’s author Robert Munsch reveals his dementia diagnosis

What’s your favourite Robert Munsch book? Ask this question of a Canadian and you’re almost certain to get an enthusiastic answer (Millicent and the Wind, IMHO). For decades, kids have been growing up with the author’s stories which he began writing while working in a preschool in Guelph, Ontario. And so fans of his work were heartbroken when Munsch shared in a recent interview that he is suffering from dementia.

Munsch told the CBC’s The Next Chapter about his diagnosis saying, “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." His most recent books I Can Fix It! and Think Big! came out this year but his bibliography dates back to the release of Mud Puddle in 1979 followed by The Paper Bag Princess in 1980. More than 70 children’s books followed including Mortimer and Love You Forever, a story that has touched readers deeply.

But it wasn’t only Munsch’s words that meant so much to readers, it was the generous way he shared both his work and his time. His publisher Scholastic told the CBC that he receives over 10,000 pieces of fan mail every year. And, we’re guessing, even more tweets:

While Munsch said that his diagnosis came as somewhat of a relief, he also said, “If I were God in charge of the world, I would make it illegal,” adding, "I worry about what I'll be in a year. Will I be a turnip in a bed in a year?"

And while he admits that his memory may be failing him, his books remain firmly in place in his mind. "My stories, strangely enough, are all there,” he said. “The stories will be the last thing to go, I think."

Scholastic described one of Munsch’s early books, The Paper Bag Princess, as a game-changer, calling it one of the first books to take a stand on an issue. (In it, the titular Princess rejects her prince after he criticizes her appearance — and they do NOT get married.)

A child at one of the schools Munsch once visited put it best in terms of his storytelling style saying, “‘Mr. Munsch, you're a kid,'" recalled the author. "My stories have no adult morals. They're not to improve children. They're just for kids to like."

How does he know of a story is a good one? From the audience participation. "That's the way the stories worked. When I told them Mud Puddle, if the kids didn't join in and make noise, something was wrong," Munsch shared. "I've learned that I can't make up a good story by myself. I need that audience of kids."

And vice versa. Sniff.

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