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Valentine’s Day Picture Book Gifts for Little Readers
by Janssen Bradshaw
In her pre-child life, Janssen was an elementary school librarian. Now she stays home with her four little girls and is constantly maxing out her library card with picture books, cookbooks, and young adult novels. She’s anxiously counting down the days until her girls are old enough to read the Little House on the Prairie books. You can find Janssen over on her blog, Everyday Reading, where she celebrates modern motherhood with a practical twist.
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I think Valentine’s Day is such a little February blessing.
The big holidays are long since over, the glow of the new year is starting to fade, and winter still seems like it has a long time to go, with lots of time cooped up inside.
And then comes Valentine’s Day, with lots of celebrating, hearts, and happiness. It’s just about the best thing that could happen right smack in the middle of those long winter months.
My girls love Valentine’s Day and I’ve loved making it a festive occasion in our home the past few years.
I especially love adding to our Valentine’s Day book collection every year and gifting them each a book that they’ll enjoy reading over and over again, probably snuggled up with some hot chocolate.
If you’re looking for some fun Valentine’s Day book gifts for your little bookworms, here are some of my favorites.
by Sophie Beer
This inclusive board book celebrates familial love and is perfect for your baby or toddler this Valentine's Day. Read about all different kinds of families and how they share their love with each other.
(Ages 0 - 3)
by Dubravka Kolanovic
This sweet board book features a peek-though, glittery heart that will engage little hands as they turn page after page of cozy animal friends snuggling up. “Baby snuggles, close together. We could stay like this forever.” Us, too!
(Ages 0 - 3)
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Teagan White
This sweet, reassuring board book perfectly captures the power of a parent’s love. With soothing rhymes and illustrations of children independently going about their days, the story reminds little readers that no matter where they go, they can find their parents’ love near them: “That feeling you always have in your heart? / That’s me loving you.”
(Ages 0 - 3)
by Anna Dewdney
The full-length Llama Llama books can be a little long for the two and under set, so the board book versions are the perfect introduction to this bestselling series. In this one, Llama Llama celebrates wholeheartedly with lots of cards and hugs for the people, er, animals he loves best.
(Ages 0 - 3)
by Dr. Seuss, illustrated by Tom Brannon
I don’t know about you, but Thing One and Thing Two are two of my all-time favorite characters from the Seussian canon. Here, Thing One and Thing Two gush about some of the lowercase-T things they love (and they’re not as mischievous as you’d think!).
(Ages 0 - 3)
by Trish Cooke, illustrated by Paul Howard
This book celebrates the love between extended family members, and particularly between little Jay Jay and his grannie. Sundays at Grannie's house are always full of food, smiling faces, and - most importantly - love.
(Ages 2 - 5)
I Love You to the Moon and Back
by Amelia Hepworth, illustrated by Tim Warnes
Learn how bears show their love in this sweet board book. This gentle, rhyming book follows a bear and cub throughout their day as they splash in the water, climb mountains, and more.
(Ages 2 - 5)
Love from The Very Hungry Caterpillar
by Eric Carle
For any child who has spent the first years of their life obsessed with that caterpillar, this book is perfect for Valentine’s Day, with all the collage images and colors that have made Eric Carle so famous. Bonus idea: Pack it with some tissue paper and let your child make their own Valentine’s Day collages.
(Ages 3 - 5)
by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Claudia Rueda
Our family loves all the Cat books by Deborah Underwood, and at this point we basically don’t celebrate a holiday without one. This one features Cat VERY unhappy with his new neighbor, Dog, who doesn’t seem to understand personal space or have any ability to keep his old bones on his side of the fence. But just as Cat is about to send a not-so-nice valentine, Dog does something that just might be an overture of friendship.
(Ages 3 - 5)
I Love Dad with The Very Hungry Caterpillar
by Eric Carle
Little readers can express just how much they love their dads with the help of the Very Hungry Caterpillar! Dads will love reading this bright and colorful picture book over and over again with their kids.
(Ages 3 - 5)
The Wonderful Things You Will Be
by Emily Winfield Martin
I always appreciate a book that has lots of fun things to look at in the illustrations so that every subsequent read feels fresh and new, and this book does just that. At this age, the most important love in a child’s life is their parents, and this book celebrates the strength and length of that special relationship.
(Ages 3 - 7)
by Matthew A. Cherry, illustrated by Vashti Harrison
In this ode to self-confidence and love between a father and daughter, Zuri's daddy is tasked with giving her an extra-special hair style. But it's not so easy! Her daddy's determination and love shine through in this memorable picture book.
(Ages 4 - 8)
by Matt de la Pena, illustrated by Loren Long
A favorite for baby showers and family libraries, award-winning author Matt de la Peña’s Love — illustrated by the celebrated Loren Long — is a poetic and heartfelt ode to the power of love and the way it shows up in moments big and small, on good days and bad, ultimately connecting us all.
(Ages 4 - 8)
by Corinna Luyken
This gorgeous picture book is all about hearts – open hearts, closed hearts, broken hearts, and more. Written as a poem about the many emotions a heart can feel, Luyken's message is one of compassion, caring, and self-love. An absolutely lovely book for all ages, even adults.
(Ages 4 - 8)
The Night Before Valentine's Day
by Natasha Wing, illustrated by Heidi Petach
Little readers can prepare for Valentine's Day with this sweet book, apart of The Night Before series. From card-making to decorating, there's so much fun to be had!
(Ages 4 - 8)
by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
First, the Crayons quit, and then they fled home. Now, the Crayons are feeling sweetly sentimental (and wouldn’t you, after all that hubbub?). In Love from the Crayons, everyone’s favorite colors are waxing poetic on loving colorfully — and even outside the lines.
(Ages 5 - 8)
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