14 Valentine’s Day Children’s Books

If you asked me to make a list of children’s book topics that have the potential to go horribly wrong, love would be right at the top. It’s such a universal concept that it often falls prey to didacticism, banality, hyperbole and sentimentality — a.k.a. the Four Horsemen of the kids’ book apocalypse. Given the potential pitfalls, it’s refreshing to find books about love that take a different approach. Here are some of my favorites.

This Is Not a Valentine

By Carter Higgins; illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins

When it comes to expressing love, many fall prey to the lure of the Impersonal Grand Gesture. But really, it’s the small stuff that matters. When Kevin receives a valentine from a classmate, he spends the rest of the day paying back the favor with untraditional gifts like a vending machine ring, a construction paper portrait and even a frog. Childlike mixed media artwork adds to the handmade feel. (Ages 5-8)

Me & Mama

Written and illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera

“Me & Mama” captures the cherished feeling of being with a loved one by focusing on one ordinary day, full of incident, as a girl and her mother brush their teeth and hair, eat bowls of oatmeal and head outside to splash in puddles. The intimate, poetic text makes each moment feel authentic, and the painterly artwork balances poignancy and playfulness. (Ages 4-8)