Children's books for Valentine's Day❣️

Special edition: Valentine's Day

Hi there!

Valentine’s Day has never been my favorite holiday — until I had children and had someone upon whom to lavish my over-the-top tendencies. Not to mention, if you are unfamiliar with living in a USDA Hardiness Zone where it is cold, snowy, and even bleak for like five months of the year, let me assure you one is ready to celebrate anything come the middle of February.

I suppose I should preface this issue by saying, as I did last year, that I play fast and loose with the definition of “Valentine’s Day books.” Only three of the titles here are overtly about the holiday itself — rather, I take a more general approach, including books about love of all kinds, caring for others, even one’s own heart. I mean, our all-time favorite, The Jewel Heart by Barbara Helen Berger, is about grief, for goodness’ sake. (Speaking of which: I covered The Jewel Heart in my 2020 special edition on Valentine’s Day, which you should check out for more great titles.)

Can we read? Special edition: Valentine's Day 💕

Okay! Let’s fall in love with some Valentine’s books.

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My Heart Fills With Happiness by Monique Gray Smith (2016)

Together Gray Smith’s beautiful, spare prose and Flett’s always-amazing illustrations featuring Native faces and traditions showcase a lovely handful of ways a heart can fill with happiness here in this quiet-yet-profound (bilingual!) title:

My heart fills with happiness when…
I see the face of someone I love

My heart fills with happiness when…
I smell bannock baking in the oven

My heart fills with happiness when…
We sing

Don’t let the seeming simplicity of this book belie its underlying message that there is so much in the world that can fill us up, help us feel whole, and remind us how deeply we’re loved — among them family, food, nature, community, tradition, togetherness.

What fills YOUR heart with happiness?

It’s a question worth asking — and answering — for us all.