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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.
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 Patricia Hegarty, illustrated by Summer Macon
Learn your ABCs with this adorable board book about love. This sweet story teaches tiny readers words and actions that symbolize the emotion. The charming illustrations and gentle rhyme make it a must-have for Valentine’s Day.
(Ages 0 - 3)
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
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 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)
by Andrea Pippins
New parents will love this heartwarming picture book about a mother’s dreams for her child. As she thinks about their family, friends, and neighbors, the mother wonders what values and lessons her child will pick up from each person. It’s a lovely reminder of a community’s impact on a child.
(Ages 3 - 6)
by Isabel Otter, illustrated by Alicia Mas
While we celebrate love on Valentine’s Day, this sweet picture book shows readers how to enjoy it every day of the year. With its adorable illustrations, die-cut pages, and uplifting message, this picture book makes a fantastic gift.
(Ages 3 - 7)
by Adriana Trigiani, illustrated by Amy June Bates
This sweet picture book will make you want to go all-out for Valentine’s Day. Set in the Blue Ridge mountains, this story is about a young girl and her mom who spend the day decorating, baking, and creating a Valentine’s Day celebration for their family. It’s the perfect way to get yourself and your kiddos into the spirit of the holiday.
(Ages 3 - 7)
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 Leah Henderson, illustrated by E.B. Lewis
This adorable picture book celebrates the special bond between a father and his children. Whether he’s telling jokes or teaching his kids how to deal with monsters, dads show love in a million different ways.
(Ages 4 - 8)
by Gillian Sze, illustrated by Michelle Lee
Experience love with a family as they cook a traditional Chinese meal. When her child wonders what love feels, tastes, and looks like, a mother uses food to explain that her love for him is endless. This heartwarming story is perfect for fans of Tomatoes for Neela by Padma Lakshmi and Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang.
(Ages 4 - 8)
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)
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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