Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, although you wouldn’t have guessed it considering many retail store have been ready for the holiday no sooner has the last Christmas ornament was packed away (ha ha).
Valentine’s Day is often special for adults, whether you are spending it with a loved one or enjoyed and “anti-Valentine’s Day” get together with single friends. It always makes me wonder how many people get engaged on Valentine’s Day.
The holiday is also a fun time for children. Many classrooms have Valentine’s Day parties and children often make (or purchase) Valentine’s Day cards to give out to classmates and friends. I work with children and I have some Valentine’s Day crafts in mind for my “work kids.”
I have some adorable Valentine’s Day book ideas for children, many with the cutest illustrations I’ve ever seen. Check them out below.
Ages 0 to 3
Snap & Snuggle: Little Bear, I Love You : My Cuddly Bear illustrated by Zhanna Mendel – Snap the plush bear slap bracelet onto your arm and cuddle up for a story all about your new friend! Say goodnight and “I love you” with this sweet board book.
This is a book, and a plush toy, all in a nice little package (great for gift giving).
The plush teddy bear is part plush, part “slap bracelet.” It’s arms are the slap bracelet. You can open it’s arms and it can “hug” your child’s wrist. You can also use it to hang the bear on the side of a headboard, lamp base and more.
The book is a board book featuring a sweet little bear and it’s parent. It’s a rhyming book too which kids love. I also think that this book almost reads like a lullaby.
There is also a cute out on the corner of this book where you can put the bear back when no longer needed (perhaps to pass down to a younger sibling one day).
I Love You with All My Hearts written by Rose Rossner, illustrated by Kathryn Selbert – Filled with punny animal rhymes of love and pride and dino-mite touch and feel features, this book is the perfect way to let your little one know you are mer-made for each other.
This book has fun interactive features that little ones will enjoy. Even if they can’t read at this age, children can enjoy this book even when no one is reading it.
Inside the book there is a fuzzy llama you can “pet,” a glittery pony you can feel and a mirror a child can use to see themselves in, just to name a few.
My kids LOVED interactive books like this when they were little.
I Love You, My Huggy Buggy written by Rose Rossner, illustrated by Sydney Hanson – A punderfully heartfelt board book to share with your little love bug.
Who knew bugs could be so adorable? Spiders, caterpillars, butterflies… you’ll find plenty of sweet little bugs and it’s parent throughout the pages of this book.
As far as the puns go, you’ll find lines like “I love you, my huggy buggy. You make my heart go buzzz“ along side a illustration of a child and adult bee. And “You mean the worm to me. You’re the best that ever was” featuring a child a parent worm.
So cute!
Don’t Push the Button: Tons of Love written and illustrated by Bill Cotter – Larry the monster has spotted a heart-shaped button. You probably shouldn’t push it.
Inside this board book you’ll find a silly monster named Larry and an illustrated big red button.
Larry instructs readers (or those being read to) to push the button to make something happen. Larry doesn’t expect what really happens when you press it, so you have to help Larry with other tasks too.
This is another fun interactive book that kids will want to read again and again.
I Love You Like No Otter written by Rose Rossner, illustrated by Sydney Hanson – There’s no better way to say “I love you” than with a sweet and heartfelt animal pun! This New York Times Bestseller is available in board book and picture book formats.
Just like the Huggy Buggy book, this book is also filled with the cutest illustrations I’ve ever seen. It makes my heart smile just to look at them.
This book also features puns based on the animal shown on the page. For example, on the page with the parent and baby Kangaroo the line reads “You make me very HOPPY. You stick to me like glue.” On the page with the parent dog and puppy the line reads “PAWSITIVELY amazing in every single way.”
Ages 4 to 8
You Are My Heart written by Marianne Richmond, illustrated by Morgan Huff – A sweet, inspiring book that beautifully showcases the emotions parents feel for their child.
This book can be seen as a love letter of sorts from a parent to a child. There is even a page in the front where you can write “to” and “from.”
The book goes on the talk about all the reasons why the child is loved, from the very beginning when they were first born and as they grow. It’s such a beautifully written book. I would have gifted something like this to my kids when they were younger.
You’ll find plenty of soft and gentle illustrations inside the book of various animals such as monkeys, alligators, lions, giraffes and more.
I Love to Watch You Grow written by Sesame Workshop, illustrated by Marybeth Nelson – Love is blooming on Sesame Street! Celebrate your little one as they grow more and more each day while introducing them to themes of sustainability.
This book is similar to the previous book as it sounds like it’s written from a parent to a child, but this time you’ll find plenty of popular Sesame Street characters going along with the story.
Sharing, caring, learning, growing… you’ll find the story features these ideas and more. It’s also a rhyming book.
How to Catch a Loveosaurus written by Alice Walstead, illustrated by Andy Elkerton – The Catch Club Kids are on the chase again, this time to trap an escaped dinosaur that wants to spread love and kindness.
Is it possible to catch the elusive “Loveosaurus?” In this book you’ll find out if it’s possible.
“An elusive new quarry leads the How To Catch… kids on a merry chase through a natural history museum… [with] scenes of smiling people young and otherwise exchanging hugs and knuckle bumps, holding doors for a wheelchair rider, and dancing through clouds of sparkles” — Kirkus Reviews
I like that this book features illustrations where you can see bits and pieces of the Loveosaurus, sort of like a “Where’s Waldo” type of book. He’s always hiding. Kids can point out where they see him (often it’s his tail). I like that unexpected interactive element to this story.
A group of kids are trying to find the Loveosaurus. In this end they learn that his mission is to spread love and kindness. I loved this story. I want to read it to my “work kids.” I’m always talking to them about being kind to one another.
Valentine’s are the WORST! written and illustrated by Alex Willan – An unsuspecting Gilbert the Goblin finds himself in the crosshairs of cupids and their heart-tipped arrows in the hilarious latest installment in The Worst! picture book series, where even the strangest of creatures can become the best of friends.
Who needs valentines? Not Gilbert the goblin! There’s no time for cards and hugs and all that mushy malarky with far more important matters at hand—like, uh…eating tacos. When Gilbert bumps into a squad of cupids bent on showering him with love arrows, he runs for his life!
This is clearly proof that valentines are the worst! Can Gilbert avoid the trappings of the holiday or will love find a way?
I have seen these books before. This is part of a series. Other books include Unicorns are the WORST!, Elves are the WORST!, Yetis are the WORST! and Mermaids are the WORST!
Gilbert is trying to escape all the trappings of Valentine’s Day (cards, chocolates, cupid…) but that is easier said then done since all his friends are enjoying Valentine’s Day and all it has to offer.
The illustrations are great and the way it’s written is unique because some pages almost resemble a comic book layout, then you have others where it takes up two full pages.
I thought this book was funny. Poor Gilbert. Ha Ha.
You can look for these books where ever books are sold. I have seen them on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Which book (or books) stood out the most to you? Feel free to comment. I always love to hear from readers.
Kimberly
*I received free products in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
