Children's books for Valentine's Day 💕
Special edition: Valentine's Day
I’ll be honest: I haven’t always been a fan of Valentine’s Day. Despite being ferociously loved every day of my life, there were many years when I was not in any way inclined to notice that, much less celebrate it.
Thankfully I grew up and out of that hideous stage and am much more aware of my blessings now. (I credit a lot of this — perhaps even all of it — to my children, who basically exploded both my heart and my mind when they came to me and for which I will always be grateful. I can’t imagine not experiencing that kind of awakening now.)
It’s true, too, that since becoming a grown-up and a parent (not necessarily in that order), I have become a Holiday Person. I’ve said many times that this is because of all the magic my amazing mother made for me as a child — I learned from the best and know no other way, and treat holidays and the attendant energy involved as a major part of loving my children — so there’s that. But there is an additional aspect to Valentine’s Day that’s very real for those of us living in subarctic USDA Hardiness Zone 5a — in the middle of February, we need a reason, pretty much any reason at all, to celebrate.
So here we are. Love Day! 🧡 as Daniel Tiger would say.
I hope that you find some new books for you and your family to enjoy here — but moreover, that these titles help you realize all the forms love can take, not just this time of year but all the year round, and that you have the eyes to see it, even in the smallest way, in your own precious life.
My Love For You is Always by Gillian Sze, illustrated by Michelle Lee (2021)
Mama, do you love me?
Yes, my child, of course I do.
But what is love, Mama?
So begins this sweet, simple tale that follows a mother and son around the kitchen as they prepare a traditional Chinese meal and discuss love — what does it feel like, what does it smell like, how does it move, does it make a sound?
Lee’s mellow colored pencil and gouache illustrations emphasize the comfy, cozy feeling here and bring all the rich sensory details of the conversation to life through the boy’s imagination made real on the page. By far the best part of this read, though, is the reassurance contained in it pages: we all — from the littlest, youngest reader to the biggest and oldest — wonder sometimes: am I loved?
My Love For You Is Always offers a clear, lovely yes.
A Hat for Mrs. Goldman: A Story About Knitting and Love by Michelle Edwards, illustrated by G. Brian Karas (2016)
I love books for Valentine’s Day that don’t focus so much on romantic or even familial love, but the quieter, possibly rarer kind of love between people for whom it’s not an obligation: the kind of love that’s perhaps never called out as love but instead made manifest through thoughtfulness, generosity, and the giving of one’s self.
No book is a better example of that than this one, wherein a little girl named Sophia worries about her older neighbor. Mrs. Goldman — who once upon a time told Sophia that “keeping keppies warm is our mitzvah,” explaining that by knitting hats of all sizes for all the people they know, they’re doing a good deed — not only knits for everyone else but keeps giving away her own hat, and who will knit for her? I’m sure you can guess, but it’s the process of watching Sophia carry out her own mitzvah — which is not without struggle or challenge — that’s so enjoyable.
Karas — who learned how to knit to prepare to illustrate this book, which only makes me adore him more — brings his signature muted mixed media images to this outstanding story of love and blessing between young and old.
(Want more books about knitting? See my mini issue from March 2022: Children’s books about knitting)
Crocodiles Need Kisses Too by Rebecca Colby, illustrated by Penelope Dullaghan (2020)
As a person who unfortunately sometimes acts like a crocodile (grumpy, snappish, prone to erupting out of nowhere), I appreciate any book with a message that makes it clear: you are loved no matter what.
Is there anyone who doesn’t need to hear this, especially children?
Colby’s cute book — along with Dullaghan’s fun illustrations, created through printmaking, paint, and paper — spells it out for even the smallest of readers that animals of all kinds, from porcupines to snakes to vultures and even sometimes-hard-to-love humans, need love, tenderness, and yes, kisses.
Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke, illustrated by Paul Howard (2008)
Did you have a grandparent or other beloved elder whose home was a haven for you? This is that experience in a form you can hold in your hands.
Jay Jay spends the late afternoon with his Gran as she prepares a Sunday meal for their large extended family, watching the fish in her tank, angling for candy, asking repeatedly, “Is dinner ready yet?”
Every page is full of tender and entertaining scenes — shown through Howard’s warm acrylic and pencil illustration — and if the depiction of big, happy family life isn’t enough, the treasure here is the invitation to see the relationship between grandparent and grandchild for the marvelous, comforting thing it is: full, full, full of love.
Love Makes a Family by Sophie Beer (2018)
This bright, inclusive board book showcasing familial love of all kinds is a must-have for babies and toddlers, who will not only enjoy Beer’s vibrant digital illustrations but also soak in the message that it’s not who makes up your family or what you all look like, but how much you love each other.
This beautiful title celebrates families of all kinds and would be on the shelf in every home, classroom, and library, if I ran the world.
Make & Share Random Acts of Kindness: Simple Crafts and Recipes to Give and Spread Joy by Mique Provost (2015)
You might explore this activity book for Valentine’s Day, but by no means should it be limited to this time of year — if you’re looking for a title chock-full of ideas for how to, well, spread random acts of kindness, this is it.
The ideas here are not complicated, expensive, or time-consuming but they are wildly thoughtful and full of heart. From creating “blessing bags” for the homeless to making a family kindness jar to setting up a “share the bounty” table in your front yard for your neighbors to partake in extras from your garden — and that’s just scratching the surface — there is something here for all ages, every income and ability, and all levels of tolerance for crafts and projects. (The latter a small miracle!)
Want to add a little more heart to your family life? Do things for others, using what you have, giving what you have to give. (If you need help, this book is a super simple place to begin.)
Valentine’s Day Stories and Poems by Caroline Feller Bauer, illustrated by Blanche L. Sims (1993)
If you’re looking for a title to dip into again and again, share with older children, and/or read-aloud during meals, look no further than this enjoyable collection of short — often humorous — poems and stories by well-known authors from Eloise Greenfield, Ruth Krauss, Cynthia Rylant, Jane Yolen, Karla Kuskin, Lloyd Alexander, and more.
Sims’ line drawing and pencil illustrations are, admittedly, a little dated — this book could easily be reprinted with modern updates to the images — but it’s also not one you have to look at to enjoy. Beauty is in the eye of the listener… er, something like that 😘
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