This is my third book by this author and my least favorite. It had fewer pictures then the other two, that is something my kids cared about when they were younger. This story is also sad. I didn't see the moral of the story as easily as I did with previous books. Overall it was a sweet story about loving someone, even if they are different then you.

This is an awkward review. You see my daughter loved this. I really didn't. It tells the story of a Maiasaura who finds a seemingly abandoned egg and decides to take it to her own nest to keep it away from the local Tyrannosaurus Rex. Problem is it hatches and turns out to be a Tyrannosaurus. Her initial thought is to leave it where she found it but she can't abandon it. So she brings it up with her own baby dino. But as he gets older it becomes apparent he isn't the same as them. Enter a fully grown T-rex who is intent on chowing down on the Maiasaura.

I think the issue with this for adults is the message seems to be you have to stay with your own (at the end the young T-rex leaves) no matter how much you love someone different. But my 5 year old daughter had a different take on it. Her take on it was that adult T-rex didn't eat the Maiasaura because he was grateful for them looking after his son. So for a short book this obviously has many layers! I just found the ending a bit too sad.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC for an unbiased review.

This children's story challenges the nature vs nature dichotomy, by delving into the expansive grey area in between.

While out one day a female Maiasaura stumbles upon a random egg in the forest, takes pity on it, scoops it up and takes it home. She gently lays it beside her own egg and waits for them both to hatch. She is surprised to find out that when it finally hatches a baby Tyrannosaurs is inside. Her mother's heart reaches out to the little abandoned one and she makes a decision to keep him and raise him as her very own. She names her baby "Light" and the adoptee "Heart".

One day while out gathering berries for his family Heart encounters a mean, vicious Tyrannosaurs and denounces his own birthright when he discovers exactly who that barbaric, cruel tyrant is. He remains faithful to his loving surrogate mother and sibling.

"I Will Love You Forever" is heartbreaking and heartwarming as well. The author himself sums it up perfectly...

"The theme of the Tyrannosaurus series is love. There aren't as many important things for us as to more often say such beautiful words as 'I love you.' The love I write about is something very natural. Here, it's all about showing that love is far more important than power. I hope you agree!"

-Tatsuya Miyanishi

The illustrations draw you into the narrative and are bursting with bright vibrant colours. I highly recommend this book and the whole series.

Miyanishi has a way of creating dinosaur characters that have incredibly human traits. In this latest story, the beginning is similar to that of Marcus Pfister's Dazzle the Dinosaur. A mother Maiasaura finds a lost egg and kindly brings it to her own nest to hatch it. And when it opens, that is where the tale diverges from the expected. It turns out that there is not a Maiasaura inside, but a dangerous type of dinosaur. The mother must make the choice to get rid of the baby to protect her own child, or keep it and raise it as a Maiasaur - hoping that nurture will win out over nature.

This is a quandary that faces many parents who choose to foster or adopt; should they extend their family and take the chance that the newcomer will respond to their love and care? I can't tell you which choice the mother Maiasaura makes, because that would spoil the story for you. I can tell you that the conclusion of the story may leave you teary-eyed.

I Will Love You Forever is the latest in the Tyrranosaurus Series to be translated. The characters and setting are created in the distinctive style Miyanishi is known for with cartoon style drawings and explosive colors. This vivid artistic presentation appeals to young readers, while the themes in the series (and this book in particular), are great discussion starters and deal with emotions and situations that more advanced readers can explore in more depth. Highly recommended for K+.

This harsh and confusing story is not recommended.

A female Maiasaura dinosaur finds an abandoned Tyrannosaurus egg one night, and decides to raise the baby Tyrannosaurus as her Maisaura baby's brother. Baby T-Rex is never told he's adopted, but is constantly indoctrinated by neighbors that T-Rexes are evil brutes.

Baby Tyrannosaurus inevitably learns that he is a Tyrannosaurus. He then runs away with another Tyrannosaurus, presumably to eat Maiasauras.

What is the point, here? To tell kids that you can't escape your genetics, that you'll never fit into your adopted family, and that you should live up to other people's prejudices?

No way, Jose.

2.5*
This is another of Miyanishi's message books for children, written and illustrated in a style I find harsh and violent.

In this one, a peaceful Maiasaura mother finds a small egg left in the forest after a storm. She rescues it because "If that nasty Tyrannosaurus finds it, he will eat it."

[ My Goodreads review has an illustration of her with both eggs. ]

Fair enough. Of course, she's startled when it hatches and is a baby Tyrannosaurus! She takes the baby back to the spot where she found it, but the baby calls her, and what new mother could resist the pull of an infant?

She takes it home to be a brother to her own son. She names her son Light and the adopted son, Heart, because "You are strong and powerful, but I would like you to be kind."

Fine so far. He's raised as a berry-collecting vegetarian. But as Heart grows up, he is told by others that he's not what he thinks he is, and eventually he has a run-in with a full-grown Tyrannosaurus who gives him the facts of life. You're one of us and we don't eat berries.

After a few mishaps, he runs to his mother begging to know "Am I your child?"

His mother's reply is just right. "You are my dear child, Heart. You are my treasure."

[ My Goodreads review shows another illustration of them hugging. ]

But then, the story seems to wander off track to what I find an ending that I don't think will make adopted kids feel better about their adoptive families. And it's a sad ending for the mother, whether or not she finds new piles of berries appearing unexpectedly.

But others may disagree. Fans of previous books in this series may enjoy it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Museyon Inc for a copy for review.

This book is more like a story, which kids would definitely love to read.

Illustrations are simple and nice.

It focuses on the thought that it is how we are brought up and what we are taught that creates us.

Tatsuya has written a series of dinosaur books, cute, but rather odd. I keep thinking we are losing something in the translation. This one is the story of an adopted egg, who is raised as a vegetarian, but who finds out that he is really a TRex, and eats meet. Other reviewers have said that it shows how strong adoptive love is, but I didn't see that. Some have said it shows how strong love is. Didn't quite see that either. It is a cute story of mother love, but has an odd abrupt ending.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review

I Will Love You Forever, by Tatsuya Miyanishi is a beautifully written book. The story is a tender one, touching on unconditional love, and leaves you with a warm feeling. The illustrations are cute and interesting and follow the story line very well. I found myself caught up in the story and wanting to see what was going to happen next.
Younger children will enjoy following along with the story while looking at the illustrations, while older children will enjoy finding out what happens next, to the main 'character'. I recommend this book and am anxious to include it in my regular reading library.

I'm not sure I understand where the author was going with this. The blurb said it was a story about adoption and throughout there seemed to be a moral to it -- one that disappeared with the ending. It's definitely a tearjerker, but I'm not sure what message this is sending to adopted kids.

When a mother Maiasaura finds an egg in the forest, she takes it home and looks after it with her own egg. When the eggs hatch, she has a baby Tyrannosaurus on her hands. At first, she takes him back to the forest, but can't leave him there when she hears his cries. She brings him home and raises him as her own son naming him Heart. Heart thinks he is a Maiasaurus, eats berries, and is frightened of the stories he hears about Tyrannosaurus. When Heart goes to collect berries one day, he comes upon a Tyrannosaurus. He is told that he too is a Tyrannosaurus, just like the dinosaur he has met. Once he realizes that this dinosaur means to hurt his family, he attacks to protect his family. The foster son of the Maiasaura discovers his real identity and goes to live with the Tyrannosaurus, but never forgets his foster mother. This is the fourth title in the Tyrannosaurus series. I Will Love You Forever delivers a heartwarming story about adoption. My grandson loves watching the television series "Dinosaur Train" in which a Pteranodon family adopts a Tyrannosaurus so the concept was not new to him, but being only four and not adopted, he does not understand it. This would be a good story to use with children who have been adopted. The illustrations are simply drawn and colourful.

Colorful illustrations, but the story and theme are a bit sad and may be too mature for some little ones to understand.

Complex and lovely, as with the first in the series, I Will Love You Forever might be my favorite one yet. With that distinctive style and strange plot turns and heartbreaking ending -- I loved it.