In Love, Matt de la Peña reflects on the power of love all around us: “And the man in rags outside the / subway station plays love notes / that lift into the sky like tiny beacons of light.”
Valentine’s Day is a time when we can show our love and kindness to those we care about most. These sweet reads are some of my new favourite picture books about love to share this Valentine’s season.
I might have to classify This Is Not a Valentine by Carter Higgins (illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins) as one of my new favourite Valentine’s picture books. This poignant read captures the genuine love a young boy feels for a classmate and the many ways he demonstrates his fondness for her. But, as he continuously reminds the reader, “This is not a valentine, / since the cooties tumble out when you open one of those. / But if you get the cooties / and I get the cooties, / then we can have cherry juice / and chicken soup with rice / together.” He is very clear that he is not presenting his crush with a Valentine because he does not have buckets of roses, jewels and gems, a fancy cursive note, or sparkles and pink and glitter. Alternatively, this young boy presents his true crush with dandelions (with no remaining wishes left to blow because he used them all up), his superhero cape and his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. This Is Not a Valentine is a true celebration of friendship and kindness.
Ethan Long has the follow-up to his 2015 picture book Fright Club. In Valensteins, Fran K. Stein’s ghoulish friends are curious about what Fran is constructing with pink paper, scissors and glue. To the disappointment of his pals, the craft is not a mask, fangs or even a paper butt, but a special heart to share with Fran’s true love. Fran’s friends are skeptical about love — in fact love is a little scary to them: “Wait. What’s LOVE?” they ask. “‘That’s when two people feel all mushy mushy about each other.’ / ‘EWWW! MUSHY MUSHY???’” A silly read-aloud about monsters discovering the true meaning of Valentine’s Day: “It’s about something you feel in your real heart. Even if it does feel a little funny sometimes.”
In the picture book Love, written by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Loren Long, readers are gifted with a celebration of the love that radiates throughout our world, the people we meet and the friendships we create. This story reflects on the various ways we experience love, and the many places we can find love, in our everyday lives. From sharing food with someone in need, to playing with friends in the sprinklers on a hot summer day, to laying in the green grass and experiencing the beauty of nature, or gathering as a community during times of sorrow — love is all around us. De la Peña’s warm and moving story of love, accompanied by Long’s striking illustrations, will resonate with readers on Valentine’s Day and throughout the year. It’s a wonderful story to share with the family.
“Sloppy licking pup kisses / Jungle gym climb-up kisses / Baby brother drool kisses / Splashing in the pool kisses.” I Love Kisses, written by Sheryl McFarlane and illustrated by Brenna Vaughan, is a tender tale of the sweet smooches we share with the ones we love. A delightful treat to share with toddlers and preschool-aged children this Valentine’s Day.
Make your Valentine’s Day sweeter with these reads and visit your local library to discover many more.
A Good Read is a column by Tri-City librarians that is published on Wednesdays. Natalie Schembri works at Port Moody Public Library.
