Valentine’s Day is just two weeks away, and how better to get in the mood than with picture books that celebrate all kinds of love. The following books are sure to set the tone.
BOARD BOOK
I LAVA YOU, by Liv Wan, Cartwheel Books, Nov. 12, 2024, Board Book, $7.99 (ages 0-3)
I lava you, I really do!
No one warms my heart like you.
A lovey-dovey novelty book full of sweet puns that celebrate love and nature, parents and little ones will love reading I Lava You over and over again! Featuring a shiny plush novelty material on the cover, this charming book is sure to stand out on any shelf. With adorable art from illustrator Liv Wan, and simple rhyming text, this novelty book celebrates the loving bond between any parent and child. —Synopsis provided by Cartwheel Books
This nature-themed board book features a plush lava explosion on the cover and fun to read aloud text inside.
HEDGE-HUGS AND KISSES, by Sandra Magsamen, Cartwheel Books, Nov. 12, 2024, Board Book, $7.99 (ages 2-4)
I’ll hug you close and kiss you on your head. Now, my little hedgehog it’s time to go to bed.
Cuddle up with your little hedgehog and enjoy this adorable touch-and-feel board book. Babies and toddlers will love holding, touching, and reading this playful board book featuring soft, cozy hedgehog fur. With Sandra Magsamen’s signature message of love and rhyming text, this book makes the perfect read-aloud to snuggle up with at the end of each day! —Synopsis provided by Cartwheel Books
This sweet and simple board book celebrates love. It features a number of activities and adorable characters.
AGES 2 & UP
FOLLOW YOUR HEART (EMMA DODD’S LOVE YOU BOOKS), by Emma Dodd, Templar, Dec. 3, 2024, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 2-5)
Each day that dawns
brings a fresh new start.
Adventures await
when you follow your heart.
This new picture book from best-selling creator Emma Dodd has a heartwarming and uplifting message about staying true to yourself. The story features a dolphin calf who learns to listen to their heart as they grow. —Synopsis provided by Templar
Silver foil enhances the friendly illustrations in this adorable picture book.
AGES 3 & UP
I’M ALWAYS LOVING YOU, by Kathy Wolff and Acamy Schleikorn, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, Dec. 17, 2024, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 3-6)
I love you when you’re close to me,
and also when you’re not,
and no matter what I’m doing,
I sure think of you a lot!
As soon as you wake up in the morning, I’m loving you. When you’ve got a case of sillies, when we’re cooking up yummy messes in the kitchen, I’m loving you. When the answer is yes, and even when it’s no, I am always loving you! —Synopsis provided by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
This fun, rhythmic read-aloud celebrates unconditional love. Expressive illustrations help carry the concept forward.
BIGFOOT’S BIG HEART, by Sarah Glenn Marsh and Ishaa Lobo, Viking Books for Young Readers, Dec. 17, 2024, Hardcover, $18.99 (3-7)
When Bigfoot loses the valentines he meant to send to his fellow monsters in hiding, scouts from all over the world come together to deliver the letters.
It’s lonely being a monster. But having other mythical pen pals helps. When Bigfoot loses the Valentine’s Day cards he so tenderly made for his friends around the world, a troop of scouts offers to help. But they will have to get creative to find every mythical creature in time! Sarah Glenn Marsh and Ishaa Lobo team up again for a sweet Valentine’s Day tale about the value of friends, both new and old. —Synopsis provided by Viking Books for Young Readers
This cute book features a wonderful cast of mythical creatures and some ingenious scouts. This one is just plain fun.
I LOVE YOU, BEST FRIEND (PETER RABBIT), by Beatrix Potter, Warne, Dec. 10, 2024, Hardcover, $9.99 (ages 3-7)
A charming Peter Rabbit gift book that celebrates your closest, dearest friends.
Join Peter Rabbit in celebrating friends everywhere with this wonderfully charming gift book! Filled with beautiful illustrations that capture the warmth of Beatrix Potter’s original drawings, fans new and old will love this heartwarming tribute to the friends who make your life amazing. —Synopsis provided by Warne
Though written for little readers, this sweet picture book will appeal to Peter Rabbit fans of all ages. Simple, rhythmic text and tender illustrations make this book a winner.
HOW TO SAY I LOVE YOU: DELIGHTFUL POEMS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY, by Mr. Boddington’s Studio, Penguin Workshop, Dec. 10, 2024, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 3-5)
Following the popularity of Mr. Boddington’s Studio: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Mr. Boddington’s Studio: Valentine’s Day features a collection of poems focused on love brought to life by Mr. Boddington’s signature art style. Including well-known works like “How Do I Love Thee?” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, lesser-known gems, and original poems written by Mr. Boddington’s Studio, this assortment of age-appropriate love poems will be sure to please both parents and young readers looking for a literary way to celebrate the holiday. —Synopsis provided by Penguin Workshop
The publisher’s suggested age range for this is 3-5, but I don’t know any 3-year-old that would sit through this much text. It’s a better match for ages 4 and up. And honestly, it would appeal to adults, too. The illustrations are charming and it’s fun to read aloud.
THE COLOR OF LOVE, by Poppy Harlow , Laura Jarrett, Elisa Chavarri, Viking Books for Young Readers, May 14, 2024, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 3-7)
If love were a color, what color would it be?
Everyone in Ms. Clementine’s class has a different answer, but Grace doesn’t know which color to choose. Love could be blue like her favorite pair of shoes or yellow like the daffodils that grow in her neighborhood. As Grace and her classmates share what love looks like to them, they learn that it comes in many forms. —Synopsis provided by Viking Books for Young Readers
The Color of Love encourages young readers to think of love in terms of color. It’s a great way to help them recognize that love comes in many shapes and sizes. It gives them something tangeable instead of a nebulous idea.
AGES 4 & UP
THE LITTLE PUPPY (My Little Animal Friend), by Nicola Killen, Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, Dec. 17, 2024, $17.99 (ages 4-8)
From beloved author-illustrator Nicola Killen comes an adorable story about Valentine’s Day and puppy love, tenderly told and illustrated in limited color with lovely red foil and interactive die cut pages.
When Grandma comes for a special Valentine’s visit with her puppy, Milo, Ollie spends a special day playing with her new friend. —Synopsis provided by Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
This beautifully designed picture book is one kids are going to love. From the red foil elements to the cutouts, it’s definitely going to hold attention. Killen’s illustrations are so sweet and her use of color and movement are spectacular.
GROWN WITH LOVE, by Valeria Wicker, Margaret K. McElderry Books, Dec. 3, 2024, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 4-8)
Oliver is a proud plant-grafter and scientist who uses his verdant know-how to help his community by pairing all his neighbors with the most useful plant. He grows the Climatis Enduris for Mr. Finch to keep him dry, the Housum Immaculatis to help Mrs. Kulp stay on top of her chores, and the Shrub Architectis for Ms. Lloyd to keep her dog fenced in.
But Oliver’s trickiest customer is Mrs. Kroftombottom, who cannot keep a plant alive no matter how hard she tries. Oliver makes it his mission to grow some greenery that she can maintain, using the scientific method to determine what’s gone wrong in her garden. Can he unlock the secret ingredient that will allow her plants—and Mrs. Kroftombottom herself—to flourish? —Synopsis provided by Margaret K. McElderry Books
This tender book celebrates the true power of love — kindness, friendship, etc. Valeria Wicker’s use of color and light in her artwork helps convey emotion. It’s a lovely read.
HAP-PEA VALENTINE’S DAY (The Peas Series), By Keith Baker, Beach Lane Books, Dec. 3, 2024, Hardcover, $9.99 (ages 4-8)
Keith Baker’s New York Times bestselling peas get a Valentine’s Day spin in this picture book filled with lots of loving and giving moments for the peas to share!
It’s Valentine’s Day, and there are lots of hap-pea hearts for the peas to give away. From frilly hearts and silly hearts to growing hearts and glowing hearts, there’s plenty of love to go around. Will you join the peas in giving away some valentines? Any kind will do… Every hap-pea heart says, “I Love You!” —Synopsis provided by Beach Lane Books
This fun book features Eric Carle-esque illustrations and snappy rhymes that kids will love.
AGES 7 & UP
TEN-WORD TINY TALES OF LOVE, by Joseph Coelho and Various, Candlewick, Dec. 3, 2024, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 7 and up)
From former UK Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho comes an extraordinary collection of tales—each one illustrated by a different artist, and each just ten words long.
Is it possible to tell a tale of love using just ten words? The answer is an enthusiastic yes. And when those words are joined by illustrations from twenty top creators, the results can be stunning. In this unique compendium designed to spark the imagination, Joseph Coelho brings us cherished moments between siblings, worlds where nature blooms and heals, touching tales of beloved pets, and more. Each ten-word tale has been paired with one of the finest illustrators working today, among them Jon Klassen, Jarvis, Bob Graham, Myo Yim, Victoria Turnbull, and Ken Wilson-Max. Together the words and pictures set up a space for creativity as young readers imagine how the story might unravel—and are inspired to pen a ten-word tiny tale of their own. Prefaced by a note from the author, and with two creative writing challenges at the back, this is the perfect gift for all those ready to unleash their imaginations.
With artwork from:
Katherine Child * Fruzsina Czech * Diane Ewen * Jim Field * Bob Graham * Katie May Green * Mini Grey * Mark Janssen * Jarvis * Baljinder Kaur * Heather Kilgour *Jon Klassen * Fiona Lumbers * Steve McCarthy * Rikin Parekh * Natalia Shaloshvili * Sydney Smith * Beth Suzanna * Victoria Turnbull * Ken Wilson-Max * Myo Yim —Synopsis provided by Candlewick
This is Joseph Coelho’s second book of Ten-Word Tiny Tales. And both are fantastic. These tales of love are so creative and fun to explore. There are so many classroom applications. It’s fantastic.
Copyright © 2025 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.
