Last Updated on June 4, 2024 by Sarah McCubbin
Valentines books for kids are the perfect way to celebrate and teach social skills during the holiday. With a heavy emphasis on caring and friendship, these titles remind children of what is truly important.
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In our family, reading books about holidays is the EASIEST way to celebrate. It doesn’t require a party or big bash (even though we do that sometimes) but books let us experience the wonder of a holiday purely by reading. It’s a wonderful adventure.
Our FAVORITE Valentines Book…Cranberry Valentine!
I’ll be honest, we have several books in this series and we love them all. They are beautiful hardcover books with genuine stories of friendship and community. As with all our holiday books, we keep them “safe” by only bringing them out during the holiday season. After that, they get tucked away out of the main area so little hands don’t damage them!
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Cranberry Valentine by Wende and Harry Devlin
Mr. Whiskers admits to Maggie and her Grandmother one day that he has never been given a valentine. Two days later, he is surprised when a big fancy valentine arrives for him.
Mr. Whiskers is mortified by this gesture from an unknown admirer and what follows is a sweet and genuine story of people caring about others in the community. It’s a great book!!
Originally printed in 1986, this tale is back for all to enjoy along with Grandmother’s delicious recipe for Cranberry Upside-Down Cake!
More Beautiful Valentines Books for Kids
Amelia Bedelia’s First Valentine
The New York Times bestselling picture book! It’s Valentine’s Day in young Amelia Bedelia’s classroom. And you know Amelia Bedelia—she wears her heart on her sleeve.
The second book in the nationally bestselling series about the childhood of America’s favorite literal-minded housekeeper. School is always exciting for Amelia Bedelia, and getting her first Valentine’s Day card may be the most exciting surprise of all. But what will she do when she forgets her valentines for her classmates on the bus? Luckily, Amelia Bedelia is resourceful, and she doesn’t break any hearts.
Saint Valentine by Robert Sabuda
How did Valentine’s Day, one of our most popular holidays, begin?
It started in ancient Rome when a kind physician named Valentine took an interest in a young blind girl. With his healing skill and his deep faith he restored her sight. What we now call Valentine’s Day began when he sent the little girl a secret message, which she received after the Christian martyr was executed. For this tale rich in sentiment, master illustrator Robert Sabuda has created exquisite paper mosaics to suggest early Christian art that resonates with both subtlety and power.
The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting
Mr. and Mrs. Bear have never celebrated St. Valentine’s Day because they hibernate during the winter.
This adorable book follows Mr. and Mrs. Bear and whether they will wake up in time for the holiday.
Love Is: by Diane Adams
A heartwarming book for young children about the challenges and joys that come with giving and receiving love.
This beautifully illustrated book tells the moving story of a little girl and a duckling who both grow to understand what it means to care for each other as they learn that love is as much about letting go as it is about holding on.
When a little girl finds a duckling who has wandered away from the park onto the city streets, she takes it home to care for it. The baby duck requires constant attention—early morning feedings, bathing, and tidying—until the time comes to say goodbye. When her pet has grown too big for the bath, the girl takes the full-grown duck back to the pond. Afterward, she misses it and wonders if it remembers her . . . until one day, the duck comes back—with six ducklings of her own.
The Berenstain Bears’ Valentine Blessings
In The Berenstain Bears’ Valentine Blessings, young readers and Sister Bear find out that Brother Bear has a secret admirer! Sweetie Bear has sent him a valentine card, complete with pink hearts and flowers. What will tough, hockey-playing Brother do about this and his teasing sister? But Papa Bear steps in to save the day, telling the cubs a story about another set of young cubs and a secret admirer … Papa and Mama Bear! And he reminds the cubs that all love comes from God, who is love.
Little Blue Truck’s Valentine by Alice Schertle
Join Little Blue Truck as he delivers Valentine’s Day cards to all his farm animal friends. But as Blue beeps along, he starts to wonder: will he get any cards of his own?
Happy Valentine’s Day, Curious George! by N. Di Angelo
George and his friends celebrate Valentine’s Day with decorating, baking, card making, and some unexpected hilarity along the way!
Just how much mischief can a curious little monkey get into when balloons, frosting, and glitter are involved? Fold-out flaps on each scene reveal lively surprises in this humorous celebration of friendship. Sparkly red foil shines on the cover and throughout the book.
Grumpy Monkey Valentine Gross-Out by Suzanne Lang
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The beloved character Jim Panzee is very grumpy about Valentine’s Day until his buddy Norman shows him that the holiday is for everyone. Two pages of full-color stickers are included for extra fun!
Turkey’s Valentine Surprise by Wendi Silvano
Turkey is delivering his valentines in disguise in this funny addition to the popular series.
Turkey loves nothing better than a good trick…except maybe a good disguise. So for Valentine’s Day, he decides to secretly deliver a card to each of his friends. But when he dresses up as a cat to deliver the purr-fect valentine, he’s quickly found out. It turns out that outsmarting his pals is harder than he thought. Luckily, Turkey has more silly surprises in store.
Valentines Books for Kids is a FUN Tradition
For whatever reason, I’m a book buyer over a library user. Especially with stories that we read over during the holidays, I’m a little nostalgic. I love pulling out books that I read to my oldest son 17 years ago and reading them now with my 5 year old. You can easily and inexpensively build up a collection by going to library book sales, shopping at yard sales or simply adding a book or two a year to your collection. Happy Reading!
Sarah McCubbin and her husband and 9 kids live in Ohio. She loves talking about all kinds of education topics and is passionate about helping families find the best education options in each season! Socially awkward growing up, she loves to help families teach life skills, social skills and leadership.
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