valentines books for preschoolers: library booklist

image from The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Jan Brett

The key to getting holiday books at the library is to request them early! (Took me about 2 years to learn that lesson.)

So, hopefully, I am early enough in sharing this with you today that you can get a jump on a few of these titles.


The Best Valentine in the World by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat (illustrated by Lilian Obligado)
This was my favorite this year, but it looks like it is out of print. So hopefully, your library has a copy. Lilian Obligado is one of my favorite illustrators, so that may be why I loved it so much, but the story itself is a good one, too--sweet and a little bit old-fashioned. It also doesn't hurt that the foxes are named Ferdinand and Florette which makes me want to adopt some baby fox cubs just so I can name them after the characters in the book. Don't worry, Ben will stop me. This is why I married him.

The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Jan Brett

I've always loved Bunting and Brett on their own, but combined? They are a superpower. And since learning from Whitney what Jan Brett's shoes look like, I like her books even more than I already did. This is a sweet tale about Mr. and Mrs. Bear who wake up early to celebrate Valentines day together for the first time. (Usually, they are hibernating on Feb. 14.)

Queen of Hearts  by Mary Engelbreit

I can relate to Anne Estelle's quest for the most beautiful valentines box ever. I'm also loving the heart garland she has on the front cover. Maybe we'll make that this week.

The Valentine Express by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
This gives a good preschool-sized dose of the history of Valentines day--not too much, but just enough. Also, it lists some valentine-y cities in the US such as Valentine, Nebraska; Loveland, CO; Lovejoy, GA; Lovelady, TX, etc.

(Side note, one of the kids in the class is named "Vanessa", so that was more than a little bit exciting as we read it together--there are also a Minna, Lindsey, Pip and Tyrone--in case one of those is your name.)

The story part is really sweet. Minna and Pip wonder if grown-ups get Valentines anymore, and decide to make some for their neighbors. They make personalized ones for all the older people on their street and then deliver them via the "Valentine Express"--Pip's wagon. I like how it focuses on showing neighbors love and that kids can do big things all on their own. Good inspiration for kids to see.

If You'll Be My Valentine by Cynthia Rylant
This is a sweet rhyming book about a little boy who finds ways to show all the people in his life just how much he loves them.

Love, Ruby Valentine  by Laurie Friedman
This was Juliet's favorite. Little Ruby loves Valentines day so much, she spends weeks preparing for it by making cards and gifts for all the people of Heartland. The night before she falls asleep and sleeps through Valentines Day--when she wakes up she is disappointed and thinks she has to wait until next year, but her pet lovebird tells her to give her gifts today. She does and realizes that every day is a good day to tell someone you love them.

The Ballad of Valentine  by Alison Jackson
I always like finding books you can sing--this one is a remake of Oh My Darling Clementine. It's easy to sing and it will make your kids laugh at you. Well, maybe just if you can't sing--which I can't. If you can sing, they will probably stare at you in wonder and amazement. Either way--it's good stuff.

The Very Special Valentine  by Maggie Keen
It's hard to find good toddler friendly books at our library, but this one has flaps and Lucia is into flaps right now. Juliet is still into flaps--do they ever get over flaps? I think I am still into them as well. It's full of forest friends which are good since we are in the "we don't read the words just talk and point at pictures and make animal noises whenever possible" phase with Lucia. Juliet loved this book too--we read the words with her. It also has a lot of shiny things in it--which are exceedingly enticing to my two little magpies.

Here are books we loved in years past:

What valentines books do you suggest to me? There's still time for me to make another library run before they are all gone!

personalized vintage-inspired bookplates for kids

It has long been on my list of things to do: buy bookplates and install them in my kids' books! The problem is that I have waited so long and have acquired so many books that I will need quite a lot to put inside them all. 

So, no, I have not accomplished my goal yet, but I have found a shop that is nudging me closer to it. 

Oiseaux on etsy has a beautiful collection of personalized bookplates for kids. I love the delicate fairytale quality of all of them. 

 And they are not just for girls--there are so many perfectly boyish options.

This one has almost convinced me to name my son Max--should I ever have one.

Check out the rest of the bookplates! You will love them.

Which one is your favorite? (I think this mermaid one is mine.) I feel like these would be a good little valentines box treat...

valentines collage for kids

Juliet made this for me two years ago when she was 3. I cut out some valentine images from a magazine and let her mod podge them onto the top of a cookie tin. (It makes a great canvas and is easy to hang on a nail!)

I got it out last week and have had it displayed as our Valentine Decor. You could do something similar with stickers, scrapbook embellishments or pink and red ribbons and heart.

If you don't have an old lid, a fabric or paper covered piece of sturdy cardboard would work, an old plate, or even a big rock would be pretty all decorated with valentines sentiments.

This years book list is coming on Friday, but here is a link to last years favorites if you need a few suggestions!

paint chip valentines for kids

Last year, I made these paint chip valentines for Juliet's pink mailbox. You can see a picture of them when they were shiny and new here.

The picture above, however, is from this week. I wanted to show you how they held up over the year.

While definitely bent and worn--they are still surprisingly in good shape! And most of the wear and tear comes from Lucia's handling--she REALLY loves these things or she really loves opening and shutting the mailbox--either way, they see a lot of action these days.

I'm kind of over the whole paint chip thing, but I thought they were worth mentioning just because they are so easy, durable, and my kids seem to love them.

I've been storing away some books that I picked up at goodwill over the past few weeks. I plan on wrapping them and putting one in the mailboxes every day before V-Day. (Right now I only have six, so we'll have to come up with something else for the other days--have any good suggestions?)

I've got a Valentines Day Library book list coming up on Friday, but here's a sneak peek:

From The Best Valentine in the World

This is my favorite find this week. Ferdinand worked so hard on his Valentine for Florette! Makes me want to make a giant purple heart for each of my girls. 

recycled cereal box valentine box

I'm quite fond of valentines boxes. Last year, I found an old mailbox that I spray painted pink and hung in Juliet's room. It is still there and working fine, but I couldn't resist making some more this year. After all, Lucia needed one, so we HAD to. :)

My favorite thing to make them out of is empty cardboard food boxes. I wanted to make mailbox-inspired boxes to hang on the girls' doors, so one morning, Juliet and I got to work.

Raid your recycle box and decide how you want the opening to look. I went with straight across for Lucia's.

Juliet went with a triangle opening--which ended up being easier to decorate.

You can see the top edges were straighter.

We just used scrapbook paper and mod podge to decorate our boxes, but you could use anything: wrapping paper, paint, contact paper (we did that a few years ago and it turned out beautifully--see it here.) ribbon, stickers, etc...the sky is the limit.

She even took the extra step and lined the inside of hers.

After it dried, I hot glued some ribbon to the top and hung it from her door. It is ready and waiting to be filled with Valentines!

Lucia's too! They kind of look like purses to me--maybe they can keep using them after Feb. 14.

Need some ideas for what to put inside your kids' boxes? Here's a list to get you started. Here are some book inspired valentines I made a few years ago.

Need a good box-decorating story?

Queen of Hearts by Mary Engelbreit

She spends so much time making the perfect box that she forgets to make Valentines for her friends! In the end, she takes the box apart and gives the embellishments as valentines. 

linking to Made by You Monday and Making Monday Marvelous, and Show and Tell.