Valentine’s Day Books for Young Children

**Our newest book reviewer, Koufax Tennyson, tackles the world of children’s literature. In staying true to her namesake, the books are given a 1 to 4 baseball score: single, double, triple, or a homerun!**

Words to describe this group of books: Family, Love, Best Friends, Treats, Experiment, Playtime

What is Valentine’s Day truly about? Are there some traits that you wish your child would learn about beyond doting on a crush? We’ve outlined just a few of the traits that we think best exemplify February 14th, specifically Family, Pure Love, Friendship, Sharing, and of course the love of Candy!

Besides participating in the Valentine’s exchange, children can learn about different attributes of the popular February holiday by reading the following books:

Family

Just Me and My Dad (originally published 1977); Just Me and My Mom (originally published 1990) by Mercer Mayer

Koufax’s Score: 4 Baseballs (Homerun) **TOP PICK**

From a vast series of books, Mercer Mayer presents a childhood adventure through the eyes of a little critter. We have to admit that we are a little biased towards this book series, as it was one of our favorites growing up. One of the best parts of this book is the background illustrations, such as finding the frog (My Mom) and the grasshopper (My Dad) with each page turn. The stories told are true to life as they give a real portrayal of activities, actions, thoughts, and responses that a child faces. While the adventures of these two respective books do not have an immediate connection with Valentine’s Day, they present the opportunity to show that family ties and the love you have for your parents (and similarly your children) can be greater than any disagreement or situation that arises. For that reason, this book earns our top pick to teach, as well as reminisce for those parents out there, about the importance of family.

Pure Love

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (originally published 1964)

Koufax’s Score: 4 Baseballs (Homerun)

While controversial for those of the “glass half empty” perspective, “The Giving Tree” at its face value is a book of selfless and pure love. Although most books occur are set in a brief moment in time, this story occurs over the course of a person’s lifetime. The interesting part about this book is how quickly it reads, with the pairing of illustration with short sentences. This makes it almost feel like you’re reading a sort of animation for the first half of the book, which makes it easy for a child of any age to stay engaged. When the story takes a turn to a more serious tone, the reading becomes longer, requiring patience and thought to the true meaning of the book… selfless love.

Friendship

Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel (originally published 1970)

Koufax’s Score: 3 Baseballs (Triple)

The first book in a series of easy to read short stories for children, “Frog and Toad are Friends” uses a light and playful approach to introduce new beginnings, fun, and adventure. We have to admit that “The Story” chapter is a little silly as it is fairly drawn out and a bit frustrating to follow as the story goes nowhere. However, the next chapter “A Lost Button” livens up the pace of the book once more. The important thing to remember is that the repetitiveness of each short story embraces the “I Can Read” theme and enables young readers to expand their reading ability with word familiarity. It is the usefulness of the book combined with the playfulness of each short story that makes this a great choice for young readers.

Sharing

Gossie by Olivier Dunrea (originally published 2002)

Koufax’s Score: 3 Baseballs (Triple)

Another series of books, features a young goose named Gossie, who learns the art of sharing her bright red boots. This easy to follow story with basic text focuses on Gossie’s favorite attire and uses unique and whimsical illustrations to convince young readers that it is perfectly okay to trust others with your prized possession. The biggest critique is that there isn’t a reason of WHY anyone should share, but at the very least, the theme that you should share is more than sufficient.

Love of Sweets

Candy Experiments by Loralee Leavitt (originally published 2012)

Koufax’s Score: 3 Baseballs (Triple)

Kids love candy and with any holiday comes the opportunity to consume as much as possible. Candy Experiments takes a different approach and gives children a chance to tap into their inner Wonka. Instead of simply reading about fanciful treats, you’ll have the opportunity to play and learn alongside your little one with these fun experiments. If anything, you’ll spend more time playing with candy than eating or reading about it. Give it a try!