***Disclosure: This post contains an Amazon affiliate link that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission when you purchase through the link from my blog. Thank you for your support!
Valentine’s Day isn’t only about romantic love; it’s a time to celebrate all kinds of love, especially the pure and joyful love experienced by children.
This blog post is dedicated to 11 Valentine’s books for kids that are filled with heartwarming tales, fun adventures, and meaningful lessons on love and friendship. These stories are carefully selected to inspire and entertain children, helping them understand the value of love in their lives and the lives of those around them.
Check them out! Oh! Don’t forget to grab a free Valentine’s Activity Passport book for kids below!
Table of Content
- Why Read Books About Valentine and Love?
- The Role of Books in Talking about Valentine’s with Kids
- 11 Valentine’s Books For Children
- What Valentine’s Book(s) Are You Going To Read Later?
Why Read Books About Valentine’s?
Reading books about Valentine’s Day to children serves multiple purposes beyond the celebration of a holiday. These books often weave themes of friendship, kindness, and the joy of giving, which are essential values for children to learn and internalize. Valentine’s books:
- Promote Empathy and Compassion:
- Through stories centered around Valentine’s Day, children are introduced to the concept of thinking about others’ feelings and the importance of showing care and appreciation.
- Encourage Creativity and Expression:
- Many Valentine’s Day stories include elements of making cards, gifts, or expressing love through art, encouraging children to express their feelings creatively.
- Teach the Joy of Giving:
- Valentine’s Day is not just about receiving but also about the happiness found in giving to others, whether through simple acts of kindness, making someone feel special, or sharing.
- Highlight Diversity in Relationships:
- These books provide opportunities to discuss the various forms of love and relationships within families, among friends, and in communities, broadening children’s understanding of social bonds.
The Role of Books in Talking about Valentine’s with Kids
Valentine’s Day provides a unique opportunity to discuss love and affection with children, and books can play a key role in initiating these conversations.
Valentine-themed books often incorporate stories about friendship, caring, and appreciation, making them perfect tools for teaching children about the many ways we can show love to those around us. These books can help demystify the sometimes commercial aspect of Valentine’s Day, focusing instead on the essence of the holiday as a time to celebrate love in all its forms.
How To Use Valentine’s Books with Children
Valentine’s books can be particularly engaging for children around the holiday, but their lessons are valuable year-round. Here’s how to make the most of them:
- Thematic Reading Lists: Create a list of Valentine’s Day books that cover a range of love-related topics. Include both fiction and non-fiction to give children a broad understanding of how love can be expressed.
- Crafts and Activities: Many Valentine’s books inspire creative expression. Encourage children to make their own valentines, write poems about love, or create art projects that represent what love means to them.
- Community Service: Use the theme of love to engage in acts of kindness. After reading a book about showing love through actions, organizing a visit to a local nursing home, or creating care packages for those in need, showing children that love is also about giving back.
Incorporating books about love and Valentine’s Day into your time with children not only fosters a love for reading but also helps cultivate empathy, compassion, and an understanding of the diverse ways we can express love. Through stories, discussions, and activities inspired by these books, children learn valuable lessons about caring for others and the importance of showing love in everyday actions.
11 Valentine’s Books For Children
Younger Children (Ages 3-6)
#1 “First 100: First Words of Love” by Roger Priddy
This board book introduces young readers to their first words of love, featuring simple, bright images and labels that encourage recognition and expression of affection from an early age.
Why Read: It introduces young readers to simple, heartfelt expressions of love, perfect for early language development and emotional bonding.
- Activity Idea: Create a “love words” scavenger hunt using pictures from magazines or drawn images that represent words from the book.
- Questions To Ask:
- Can you find something in the room that shows love?
- What are your favorite words of love from the book?
- How can you use a word of love today?
#2 “The Biggest Valentine Ever” by Steven Kroll
“The Biggest Valentine Ever” tells the story of two mice, Clayton and Desmond, who decide to make a special Valentine for their teacher. Initially, they struggle to work together, as their ideas and efforts to create the biggest and best Valentine lead to disagreements and a torn Valentine. However, they soon realize that by cooperating and combining their talents, they can create something even more magnificent. This story beautifully illustrates the themes of teamwork, friendship, and the joy of creating something special for someone else as an expression of love and appreciation.
Why Read: This story about cooperation and friendship in creating a Valentine’s Day card teaches the importance of working together and appreciating each other’s efforts in expressing love.
- Activity Idea: As a group project, have children contribute to a large Valentine’s Day mural, where each child adds a piece to the artwork, demonstrating how many small contributions can make one great piece of art.
- Questions To Ask:
- Why did Clayton and Desmond decide to work together?
- How did cooperation make their Valentine better?
- Can working with others help us express our feelings more creatively?
#3 “Hug Machine” by Scott Campbell
This delightful book showcases a young boy who declares himself the “Hug Machine,” ready to give hugs to anyone and anything in need of one. It’s a heartwarming story about the power of comfort and connection through simple acts of affection.
Why Read: The “Hug Machine” is about a boy who believes in the power of hugs to brighten anyone’s day. It’s a fun way to discuss affection and comfort with children.
- Activity Idea: Have a “Hug Machine” crafting session where children create their own Hug Machine using cardboard boxes and decorations.
- Questions To Ask:
- Who would you give a hug to if you were the Hug Machine?
- How does it feel to give and receive hugs?
- What are some other ways we can show affection and care to others?
Lower Elementary Children (Ages 7-9)
#4. “The Day It Rained Hearts” by Felicia Bond
One day, it starts raining hearts, and Cornelia Augusta catches them. She realizes that each heart is unique and decides to create special valentines for her friends. It’s a story of creativity, thoughtfulness, and friendship.
Why Read: This enchanting story captures the imagination with the idea of hearts raining from the sky, allowing children to explore creativity and generosity as they think about making unique valentines for their friends.
- Activity Idea: Have children create their own valentine cards using heart shapes they cut out from colored paper.
- Questions To Ask:
- Why do you think Cornelia Augusta decided to give the hearts to her friends?
- How can we show our friends they are special to us?
- What would you do if it rained hearts one day?
#5 “Love from the Crayons” by Drew Daywalt
From the creators of “The Day the Crayons Quit,” this colorful tale explores the emotions and colors of love through the eyes of crayons. It’s a vibrant exploration of love’s different forms and how it can color our world.
Why Read: This book offers a colorful exploration of love through the eyes of crayons, making it a wonderful tool for discussing emotions and the many ways love appears in our lives.
- Activity Idea: Draw pictures using colors that represent different feelings of love.
- Questions To Ask:
- Which color of love is your favorite, and why?
- How can we show love to others using words and actions?
- Why do you think love is important in our lives?
Check Out Valentine’s Mindfulness Books and More!
#6 “Love You by Heart” by Peter H. Reynolds
This beautifully illustrated book celebrates the deep, unconditional love that binds us, depicting how love grows and changes while remaining constant at its core. It’s a tender reminder of the power of love to connect us.
Why Read: This book gently illustrates the depth and breadth of love’s capacity, encouraging children to consider the many ways love is shown and felt.
- Activity Idea: Paint or draw portraits of people or things they love, using colors that represent their feelings.
- Questions To Ask:
- How do you show someone you love them by heart?
- What are some ways love can change or grow?
- Why is it important to let people know we love them?
#7 “Love Is My Favorite Thing” by Emma Chichester Clark
Through the adventures of Plum, a lovable dog, children learn about the joys and mishaps of showing love. This story emphasizes that love remains strong, even when we make mistakes.
Why Read: Love is unconditional and it remains steadfast through ups and downs. This is what this book is all about! It’s a great story to teach kids what unconditional love means.
- Activity Idea: Write a story or draw a picture of a time when love helped you through a mistake.
- Questions To Ask:
- How does Plum show that love is her favorite thing?
- Have you ever made a mistake and were still loved afterward? How did that feel?
- What are some ways we can show love, even when things don’t go as planned?
Upper Elementary Children (Ages 9-11)
#8 “A Crankenstein Valentine” by Samantha Berger
This humorous story takes a look at Valentine’s Day through the eyes of Crankenstein, who is not a fan of the holiday. It’s a fun exploration of how everyone expresses love differently.
Why Read: This fun take on Valentine’s Day explores the holiday from the perspective of someone who’s not a fan, offering a relatable and entertaining view on emotions and celebrations.
- Activity Idea: Make a “Things That Make Me Say ‘MEH'” list and a “Things That Make Me Say ‘YAY!'” list.
- Questions To Ask:
- Why do you think Crankenstein isn’t a fan of Valentine’s Day?
- Can you think of a time when you felt like Crankenstein about something?
- How can we make holidays enjoyable for people who might not like them?
#9 “Here Comes Valentine Cat” by Deborah Underwood
Cat is not excited about Valentine’s Day until a new friend shows up. This book offers a humorous take on friendship and the surprises that new connections can bring.
Why Read: This humorous and slightly sarcastic book offers a different perspective on Valentine’s Day through the eyes of Cat, who isn’t too thrilled about the holiday. It’s great for engaging children who might be less interested in traditional expressions of love, teaching them about friendship and the importance of giving people a chance.
- Activity Idea: Design your own “Valentine Cat” comic strip.
- Questions To Ask:
- Why was Cat hesitant about making a new friend?
- How can meeting someone new change our feelings about a holiday or event?
- What are some creative ways to show someone you want to be their friend?
#10 “Groggle’s Monster Valentine” by Diana Murray
Groggle tries his best to make the perfect Valentine for his best monster friend, Snarlina, but his monster appetite keeps getting in the way. It’s a funny and sweet story about friendship and effort.
Why Read “Groggle’s Monster Valentine”: Groggle’s attempts at creating the perfect Valentine’s card with humorous mishaps underscore themes of effort, friendship, and the thought behind our actions.
- Activity Idea: Write a poem or story from Groggle’s perspective about trying to make the perfect Valentine.
- Questions To Ask:
- Why is it sometimes hard to make something special for someone else?
- How do you think Snarlina felt receiving Groggle’s Valentine?
- What does this story teach us about friendship and making an effort?
#11 “Queen of Hearts” by Mary Engelbreit
This charming story follows Ann Estelle on her quest to be the Queen of Hearts for Valentine’s Day. It’s filled with Engelbreit’s signature illustrations and themes of ambition, creativity, and the spirit of celebration.
Why Read: Mary Engelbreit’s “Queen of Hearts” combines charming illustrations with a story about creativity, effort, and the spirit of giving during Valentine’s Day. It’s a wonderful book for encouraging artistic expression and teaching children about the joy of making something special for others.
- Activity Idea: Design and decorate your own “Queen of Hearts” crown.
- Questions To Ask:
- What does being the Queen of Hearts mean to Ann Estelle?
- How does Ann Estelle show creativity and determination?
- What are some ways we can celebrate the people we care about?
Check Out Valentine’s Calm Down Corner Resources
What Valentine’s Book(s) Are You Going To Read Later?
This Valentine’s Day, embrace the spirit of love and kindness by diving into the world of enchanting Valentine’s books with the children in your life. From the playful adventures in “The Day It Rained Hearts” to the heartfelt expressions in “Groggle’s Monster Valentine,” these stories are not just about celebrating a day of love but about nurturing the values of care, friendship, and appreciation every day.
Let the themes of love from these stories inspire acts of kindness and creativity, making this Valentine’s Day not only a celebration of love but a meaningful opportunity to connect and share with those around us.
So, which Valentine’s tales are you excited to share? Have any favorites or new discoveries you’re eager to explore? Share your Valentine’s reading list with me on Instagram @LittleYellowStarTeaches and let’s spread the love of reading this season.
Bye for now!
Prima at LittleYellowStar
* * *
Other Blog Posts That You Might Enjoy:
- 15 Minutes Daily Social And Emotional Learning Activities For The Classroom (SEL Made Easy)
- How To Offer Growth Mindset Praise Effectively
- 3 Activities To Introduce Growth Mindset
