Each children's book for Valentine's Day is worth buying because it can be enjoyed again and again. These Valentine's books are good read-alouds, provide positive reinforcement for sharing and being kind to one another and have engaging illustrations that complement the text. Here's a quick look at each of them.
1. Guess How Much I Love You: The Pop-Up Edition
Candlewick Press
The pop-up edition of Guess How Much I Love You, the popular picture book by Sam McBratney, with its captivating illustrations by Anita Jeram, is perfect for Valentine's Day. This story of the love between parent and child has become a classic since it was first published more than a decade ago and the pop-up edition is a delight. It would make a good Valentine's Day gift for both children and adults. (Candlewick Press, Gift edition, 2008. ISBN: 9780763653781) Compare prices. Read my review of Guess How Much I Love You: The Pop-Up Edition.
2. Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch
Simon & Schuster
Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch, by Eileen Spinelli, is a modest picture book with a terrific message about loving kindness and caring for others. Even very young children will relate to Mr. Hatch and how thrilled he is to receive a mysterious Valentine's Day treat (Who sent it?) and how it changes his behavior, making him much more outgoing and friendly. They will also feel sad with him when he finds out the gift was not really meant for him. Best of all, they will rejoice with Mr. Hatch when the kindness of his new friends and neighbors saves the day. I recommend the book for ages 4-8. (Simon & Schuster, 1992. ISBN: 0027860159) Compare prices. Read my review of Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch.
3. Snowy Valentine
HarperCollins
Snowy Valentine is a sweet story, Jasper the bunny is anxiously looking for a special gift for his beloved wife. Lilly. He trudges through the snow to visit his woodland valley neighbors for ideas. While he gets lots of ideas, none of them will work for Lilly. When the fox invites Jasper in to brainstorm gift ideas, Jasper almost becomes part of a bunny stew, a Valentine's Day gift for the fox's vixen, but he escapes. However, he's cold, wet, tired and discouraged. The cardinal shows him a lovely necklace of winter berries, but Jasper still has nothing for Lilly. However, the cardinal, who is perched high in a tree looking down at the valley, sees that Jasper, in trudging through the snow throughout the valley, has created a giant heart shape. It's a wonderful symbol of his love for his wife, and Lilly loves this special gift. The author and illustrator of this picture book for 3 to 6 year olds is David Petersen. (Harper, An Imprint of HarperCollins, 2011. ISBN: 9780061463785) Compare prices.
4. Love, Splat
HarperCollins
Splat, the lovable fluffy black cat with the skinny legs, is back. Splat was first introduced in Rob Scotten's picture book Splat the Cat. In Love, Splat, Splat has a crush on a Kitten, a pretty fluffy white kitten who is in his class. He makes her a Valentine despite the fact that every time she saw him, Kitten "pulled his ears and poked his belly, tied his tail and called him smelly." Shyness, insecurity, and a rival confront Splat, but he conquers them all and finds out, to his delight, the real reason Kitten keeps bothering him. Throughout his adventures, Splat is accompanied by his mouse friend Seymour. This is a funny, yet sweet, Valentine's Day story, one I recommend for 3- to 8-year-olds. (HarperCollins, 2008. ISBN: 9780060831578) Compare prices.
5. You're Lovable to Me
Random House
With a rhythmic text and whimsical illustrations, You're Lovable to Me celebrates the love between parant and child that transcends behavior and time and enables a mother rabbit to tell each of her six bunnies that, no matter what, "You're lovable to me." Later, she hears the same words from her own father who stresses that even though she is an adult, "When a papa loves a bunny, that's the way it will always be." Kit Weh's gentle story and Sue Anderson's lively ink and colored pencil illustrations in soft and strong pastels reflect a "big day" and "hard night" in a houseful of love. I recommend You're Lovable to Me for ages 2-5. (Random House, 2009. ISBN: 9780375860157) Compare prices.
6. Queen of Hearts
Here's another in Mary Engelbreit's beautifully illustrated series of Ann Estelle picture books. Ann Estelle loves to make things. She spends hours and hours creating an extravagantly decorated Valentine's Day box to hold the cards she'll receive from her classmates. She focuses so much on the box that she forgets to make Valentine's Day cards to give to her classmates. How creative thinking by Ann Estelle saves the day makes an entertaining story. (HarperCollins, 2005, PB 2008. ISBN: 9780060081836) Compare prices.7. Too Many Valentines
This Level 1, Ready-To-Read book is part of the Robin Hill School series. It was written by Margaret McNamara and illustrated by Mike Gordon. The story centers on class preparations for Valentine's Day and one little boy, Neil, who says, "I get too many Valentines. I do not want any more." How the class honors his feelings and still includes him in the celebration makes an entertaining story. (Simon & Schuster, Aladdin Paperbacks, 2003. ISBN: 9780689855375) Compare prices.8. Nate the Great and the Mushy Valentine
This children's Valentine's Day book is from the Nate the Great detective series for beginning readers by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. Nate the Great starts out with one case, finding out who gave his dog a Valentine, and then, his friend Annie asks him to help her find a missing Valentine. This entertaining story, with lots of illustrations by Marc Simont, is both a good read-aloud for 4-8 year olds and a good book for beginning readers, grades 2-3. (Yearling, 1995. ISBN: 9780440410133) Compare prices.9. Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink
This amusing picture book was written and illustrated by Diane de Groat. While I am not a big fan of books in which children are portrayed by a group of animals, I am willing to make an exception for a story like this one that deals with kindness and teasing. Teasing and hurt feelings are common among elementary school children. The author does a nice job of showing the consequences of both unkindness and kindness when exchanging Valentine's Day cards. (HarperCollins, 1996. ISBN: 9780688152208) Compare prices.10. Olive, My Love
Yes, it's the same lovable dog from Olive, the Other Reindeer. This time, Olive is surprised when her friend Dexter the winged dog flies by singing of love and drops a giant heart by her door. Thinking it's a mistake, Olive goes to great lengths to return the heart to Dexter's home at the top of a cliff, only to find out, to her delight, that the heart is a Valentine's Day gift for her. The detailed computer art adds a cartoon-like flavor to the story. (Harcourt, 2004. ISBN: 9780439743396) Compare prices.What children's Valentine's Day books do you recommend?
What are some of the children's Valentine's Day books that your children particularly enjoy? Share your recommendations by joining the discussion on the About Children's Books Forum.
