M E R I D I A N     M A G A Z I N E

Books to Celebrate Valentines
By Holly E. Newton

Valentine’s Day has to be one of the best holidays because it connotes love and friendship. As I searched for books that celebrate this special holiday, I came up with some great ones! All of these are picture books except for the last book that is a beginning reader. The first three are perfect for all ages; the rest are geared for younger children.

The UnValentine, by Sam Beeson, and beautifully illustrated by Jesse Draper, is a small sized book that is a twist on the subject. Beeson has written in poetic prose a short soliloquy from the eyes of a disgruntled, discontented young girl who wants nothing to do with Valentines or love. But something quite unexpected happens to quickly change her mind and soften her heart! “She spied upon her desk / a crumpled paper / by her purse, She opened it and gasped / at a cacophony of verse.” The oil paintings are extraordinary and the eloquent placement of words in this nicely packaged little book make for the perfect “unValentine” gift!

I Love You: Verses & Sweet Sayings, featuring the art of Bessie Pease Gutmann, also features some of the most heartfelt poems. Gutmann painted some of the most beautiful pictures of babies and children that reflect the early 20th century. The pictures and poems seem to go hand in hand — or heart to heart.

You Were Loved before You Were Born, by the wonderful Eve Bunting, and gorgeously illustrated by Karen Barbour, is the perfect loving celebration of the baby that’s about to come to all family members, relatives and even neighbors.

Valentine’s Day celebrates hugging and kissing. But one adorable little bovine youngster has somehow lost her kisses. I Lost My Kisses, by Trudie Trewin, has her searching everywhere as she tries to locate them. But in the process she explains to her little animal friends how they sound, feel and what they look like. Nick Bland has magically captured the essence of this darling picture book in his watercolor drawings.

Hug Time, by Patrick McDonnell, is the celebration of hugging. When Jules, the small kitten, told Doozy that the world needs a hug, he made a “Hug-To-Do List” and began hugging his family, friends and neighbors. But the hugging didn’t stop there. This sweet little book magnifies the importance of a simple gesture of a hug.

Here’s another hugging story: I Want a Hug, written and illustrated by John A. Rowe, is a story about a prickly hedgehog who desires an embrace. Every single friend he encounters turns him down until by chance he comes upon another animal who is in need of something. Friendship ensues and desires are fulfilled in this large and heartfelt picture book.

Here are two stories about friendship. Smitten: A Lint-Free Love Story, written and illustrated by David Gordon, is a story with an unusual subject — a mitten and a sock. The left-handed mitten sees a lone sock as it drops out of a laundry basket and the two begin an adventure. What they discover is that they are truly a rare pair that are smitten.

Sam’s New Friend, by Thierry Robberecht, and illustrated by Philippe Goossens, is a nice story teaching youngsters that both boys and girls can have fun enjoying each other.

The next four books are board books that are geared for toddlers. Who do You Love?, written and illustrated by Mandy Stanley, is a board book in iridescent colors of pinks and yellows. The question is put to bees, flamingoes and more. This is a delightful read! And how about a gift for Valentine’s Day? With Love From Maisy, written and illustrated by Lucy Cousins, is a mini-book with lift-the-flap pages. Maisy is about to give each of her friends a present. You can experience the surprise of her friends when you lift each flap. Tomie’s Little Book of LOVE, written and illustrated by Tomie DePaola, is a rhyming book that covers new love, wedding love and even pets and animal love. The signature style of art of DePaola is displayed at its finest. Pepper’s Valentine Surprise, written and illustrated by Linda Bleck, is a board book with pop-ups, pull-tabs and slides making this a fun and accessible book for little hands.

Big Heart! A Valentine’s Day Tale, by Joan Holub, and illustrated by Will Terry, is a “Ready-to-Read Pre-Level 1.” The rhyming scheme is clever and simple. There are only 1 or 2 short sentences on each page and the storyline is one children will enjoy – all relating to making a valentine for that special someone.

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