Valentine’s Day
The CBC Holidays Series explores stories that relate to specific holidays so that readers of all ages can celebrate in the best way… with a good book!
Today is Valentine’s Day, where we celebrate the love we have with our family, friends, and maybe our significant others. Maybe it’s the day to ask if your crush would like to be your Valentine or maybe it’s a day of sharing heart candies, chocolates, flowers, and cards with your classmates? Any way you choose, spreading love is the goal. So let’s enjoy Valentine’s Day today with the people in your life that you love being around. ❤️
Ages 0-3
Guess How Much I Love You, by Sam McBratney; illus. by Anita Jeram (Candlewick Press) — Fiction, Board Book, Family / Community, Animals, ages 0-3.
My First Valentine’s Day (Disney Baby Series), by Disney Book Group; illus. by Disney Storybook Art Team (Disney Publishing Worldwide) — Fiction, Board Book, Holidays / Seasons / Celebrations, Concepts, Imagination / Play, ages 0-3.
Pop-Up Peekaboo! I Love You, by DK Children (DK Children) — Fiction, Board Book, How-To / Activity, Concepts, Animals, ages 0-3.
Ages 4-6
If You Were My Valentine, by Lynn Plourde; illus. by Jennifer L. Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) — Fiction, Picture Book, Holidays / Seasons / Celebrations, Family / Community, Animals, ages 4-6.
Love Will Turn You Around, by Mary Munson; illus. by Kate Talbot (Gnome Road) — Fiction, Picture Book, Concepts, Friendships, Math, ages 4-6.
A Unicorn Named Sparkle and the Perfect Valentine, by Amy Young (Macmillan / Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)) — Fiction, Picture Book, Holidays / Seasons / Celebrations, Animals, ages 4-6.
Ages 7-12
Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Valentine’s Day With Love, Cards, and Candy, by Carolyn Otto (National Geographic Kids) — Nonfiction, Prose, Holidays / Seasons / Celebrations, Cultural Diversity, Series, ages 7-12.
The Major Eights 6: The Secret Valentine, by Melody Reed; illus. by Émilie Pépin (Little Bee Books) — Fiction, Prose, Friendships, Music / Art, Holidays / Seasons / Celebrations, ages 7-12.
Rachel’s Valentine Crush, by Angela Darling (Simon & Schuster) — Fiction, Prose, Romance, Music / Art, Series, ages 7-12.
Young Adult
The Code for Love and Heartbreak, by Jillian Cantor (HarperCollins / Inkyard Press) — Fiction, Prose, Romance, Contemporary, Coming of Age, Teen.
Fire From the Sky, by Moa Backe Åstot, trans. by Eva Apelqvist (Levine Querido) — Fiction, Prose, Romance, LGBTQIA+, Cultural Diversity, Teen.
Paper Valentine, by Brenna Yovanoff (Penguin Random House / Razorbill) — Fiction, Prose, Mystery / Thriller, Science Fiction, Teen.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day by reading a book!
List compiled by CBC’s resident holiday expert, Sommer Wissner. Check out other CBC Holiday book lists on our blog.
