Groundhog vs. Cupid (Festive Feuds, 4) 

by Todd Tarpley (Author), Stephanie Laberis (Illustrator)

Summary: A groundhog wakes up, dresses carefully for his big day, and emerges from his burrow—only to find the spotlight stolen by Cupid, who’s already claiming all the glory. Determined, the groundhog tries to convince Cupid that today isn’t his day, but HIS.

Comments: This is a story in rhyme. This book is in the usual festive feud style: two holiday characters overlap their special days and try to find a solution. These are humorous, outrageously fun books, making great read-alouds.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

A Stickler Valentine

by Lane Smith (Author)

Summary: Stickler goes through the forest giving sticks for Valentine’s Day, but no one wants a stick. He begins to think about what others would like instead and decides to give the cat what she likes, not what he wants to give her for Valentine’s Day, making her happy.

Comments: A cute and whimsical story about a forest creature made of sticks beginning to consider what others like and not so much what he likes. I think this could be a great read-aloud for primary grades.

The illustrations were created using oils, gesso, and cold wax on canvas. Pencil lines were drawn with an Apple Pencil in Procreate.

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Hap-Pea Valentine’s Day (The Peas Series) 

by Keith Baker (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: The peas are celebrating Valentine’s Day by sharing various hearts in their pea town, such as a large pizza heart, knitted hearts, and rainbow hearts.

Comments: This is a light-hearted, fun book best suited for preschoolers and kindergarteners. I enjoy stopping to look at each page and take in all the details Keith Baker puts into making these cute little pea characters.

Rating: 4/5📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Grumpy Monkey Valentine Gross-Out

by Suzanne Lang (Author), Max Lang (Illustrator)

Summary: Jim Panzee does not care for Valentine’s Day at all. He thinks love is gross–the couples exchanging cards, cuddling, and kissing. One of his primate friends explains to him all about the different types of love, making him not so grumpy.

Comments: A funny read-aloud for the classroom especially for those who also find Valentine’s Day gross.

This does have Valentine stickers in the back of the book.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Love, Escargot 

by Dashka Slater (Author), Sydney Hanson (Illustrator)

Summary: Escargot excitedly gets ready to attend a Snailentine party. The snail suddenly feels shy once arriving and retreats to the inside of his shell. Will he come out and enjoy the party or stay inside the whole time?

Comments: Escargot enjoys talking to the reader and asking questions, making this an interactive picture book. It is a humorous book with a very talkative French snail.

Rating: 4/5📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

The Mystery of the Love List 

by Sarah Glenn Marsh (Author), Ishaa Lobo (Illustrator)

Summary: Pippa’s teacher has the class write down everything they love in their hearts. She receives a list with her name on it and with many things that she enjoys. Pippa tries to figure out who her new friend could be.

Comments: I know a lot of teachers are looking for picture book mysteries. This is a cute mystery that primary students would enjoy solving with the help of the illustrations.

Rating: 4/5📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Dino-Valentine’s Day (Dino-Holidays) 

by Lisa Wheeler (Author), Barry Gott (Illustrator)

Summary: All of the dinosaurs are getting ready for Valentine’s Day. Some are shopping for cards, decorating boxes, and baking delicious treats. They exchange valentines at school and then attend a dance.

Comments: This is a humorous rhyming story that mixes dinosaur names throughout.

Rating: 4/5📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Porcupine Cupid 

by Jason June (Author), Lori Richmond (Illustrator)

Summary: Porcupine goes around the forest poking animals with his quill like cupid, annoying everyone. He posts a sign about having a town hall meeting where everyone can discuss the poking. He hides in a tree, listening to everyone complain and bond over his actions, happy to have brought so many friends together. Will anyone fall for him?

Comments: It’s a fantastic read-aloud, though you might want to include a disclaimer that ‘cupid poking’ is strictly for porcupines and not for children!

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Valensteins 

by Ethan Long (Author)

Summary: Fright Club members are interested in what Fran K. Stein is making with pink paper, glue, and scissors, and come up with their own ideas. When they realize what he is making, they are horrified, but Fran does not care. He leaves them and shares it with the one he loves.

Comments: This will be a funny Valentine’s Day read-aloud, even for those who think the day is eeewww.

The illustrations were created with a graphite pencil on Strathmore drawing paper, scanned, and digitally colorized. Dark colors make the pink heart stand out more.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

The Yuckiest, Stinkiest, Best Valentine Ever

by Brenda Ferber (Author), Tedd Arnold (Illustrator)

Summary: Leon makes a Valentine’s Day card for Zoey Manoney, but it runs off the table, refusing to let the boy give it to her. The Valentine runs down the street, with Leon chasing him, and more and more people following along to see what happens.

Comments: I love the illustrator’s style of large comic panels, narrative boxes, and speech bubbles. The colors are bright, and the story is hilarious and cumulative. This would be a superb read-aloud with action and suspense.

Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

A Giant Crush 

by Gennifer Choldenko (Author), Melissa Sweet (Illustrator)

Summary: Jackson has a crush on Cami but is too shy to tell her, so he leaves little anonymous gifts for her. His friend, Cooper, encourages him to get up enough nerve to talk to her.

Comments: Sweet puppy love. Elementary crushes. This story will resonate with all those who have experienced unrequited love or are too shy to profess their love. I think it is encouraging.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

If You’ll Be My Valentine

by Cynthia Rylant (Author), Fumi Kosaka (Illustrator)

Summary: A young boy makes valentines for his animal friends, human friends, and inanimate objects in his life that he cares about.

Comments: Each Valentine is a short rhyming poem. This is a good choice as a read-aloud for preschool or kindergarten.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

The Biggest Valentine Ever 

by Steven Kroll (Author), Jeni Bassett (Illustrator)

Summary: Desmond and Clayton make a Valentine together in class, but end up in a fight over artistic differences. They tear it up and decide to make their own when they get home. After ignoring their fathers’ advice, they decide to make a huge Valentine’s Day gift together to present to their teacher.

Comments: This is a delightful story about two mice friends who work together to create something spectacular. I thought it was funny how they ignored their dads, took the opposite advice, failed, and succeeded at school with the parental advice afterall. Best to let them fail and learn.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Mouse’s First Valentine 

by Lauren Thompson (Author), Buket Erdogan (Illustrator)

Summary: A little mouse follows his older sister, Minka, out of the house and watches her gather paper, ribbon, lace, and glue, wondering what she is doing.

Comments: What a sweet story about a little mouse receiving a precious gift from his big sister.

I like how the mouse asks questions about the different things his sister is doing, which can also be discussed with young readers after the story is finished and is reexamined with questions.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

The Berenstain Bears’ Funny Valentine 

by Stan Berenstain (Author), Jan Berenstain (Author)

Summary: Sister Bear has a crush on Herbie Grizzwold and hopes to receive a special Valentine from him, but instead receives a very nice one from a bear who she thought was pestering her. She is confused by his behavior and learns from a story Mama told her about a similar situation she was in.

Comments: I love this story. It does a nice job of showing how the boy bear learns to express his feelings to Sister Bear in a way she can understand. Timeless story.

Rating: 4/5📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Clifford’s Valentines (Scholastic Reader, Level 1) 

by Norman Bridwell (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: Clifford receives Valentine’s Day cards from several people and decides to go to the park, where everyone is playing in the snow, to give his Valentine’s Day card to them.

Comments: In this level 1 reader, preschool-grade 1, there is a reading guidance for parents on questions to ask before, during, and after reading the book. The back pages include a word list.

I appreciate that it suggests that the parent reads the story beforehand. I always did that first. I’d read the story to the students to develop the aesthetics of loving to read/enjoy the story, and THEN asked or answered questions.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.