Purpose for the Program Maternal bonding is critical in the newborn period that has traditionally been entrusted to nurses. Nurses have met this challenge through a variety of interventions, including keeping newborns in close physical proximity to their mothers, helping mothers interpret the behavioral cues of their newborns, and creating a nurse--mother relationship that gives credibility to all other nursing interventions. Nurses continually search for ways to help mother fall in love with their newborns, which is critical beginning for a positive, life-long, secure mother--child attachment. The For Ever program facilitates bonding and promotes early literacy. Proposed Change The envisioned change of the For Ever program is improved maternal (and paternal) bonding and long-term appreciation of a book that has special meaning in the postpartum moment. Implementation, Outcomes, and Evaluation The nurse gives each mother a spiral-bound children's book that has been especially designed for these tasks. The book's story line reinforces the importance of a mother's responsiveness to the cues of her newborn and the long-term effects of that responsiveness for the child: 'When I'm sleeping you gaze at me. When I cry, you hold me close, and I feel safe. When I open my eyes and look at you, you look back. You touch my toes . . . .' Brightly colored drawings depict an infant who while growing into a young child searches for and unites with his/her mom. The For Ever book, written and illustrated by a nurse, is personalized with one page for writing the newborn's birth information and another for attaching a family photo that can be taken by the nurse at the bedside with an instant camera added later. Evaluating the importance of this program requires an interim time of several months to understand how the book and its message have been used over time. We hypothesize that the personalizing features of the book will be an enticement for it to be read and valued, even in families where literacy is not a priority. Evaluation is planned for 6 months after hospital discharge via a phone call to the mother to answer a short list of questions about the use of and interest in the book. Implications for Nursing Practice The For Ever Program offers the nurse a tool to facilitate maternal bonding while enriching the postpartum experience and strengthening family literacy. Les