Love for Littles

Celebrate Valentine's Day with 14 of your favorite kid-lit characters

If you think Valentine's Day has to be about romance, think again. For youngsters, the holiday offers an opportunity to celebrate kindness, empathy, and appreciation. We like to think of it as big-picture love: Love for life. Love for our favorite things. Love for our families. And love for all our favorite friends. Here are fourteen love-themed picture books featuring some of our favorite characters from kid-lit.

Llama Llama I Love You by Anna Dewdney

The beloved little llama shows his friends and family how much he loves them with heart-shaped cards and lots of hugs. What could be sweeter on Valentine's Day? (3 and under)

Love From the Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

You are the cherry on my cake. You make the sun shine brighter. You make my heart flutter. This expresses all kinds of ways that someone special can make the world a better and brighter place. (3–5 years)

Little Miss Valentine

It's Little Miss Valentine's favorite time of year, but as she writes and delivers cards to her friends, nothing goes as planned. Before long, she realizes that all she really needs is friendship and love (though a little chocolate never hurts). (3–5 years)

Peppa Pig and the I Love You Game by Neville Astley

It's February 14, and Peppa's family is playing the I Love You game. Everyone in the family has things to add to the list. But what does Peppa love most of all? (3–6 years)

Valensteins by Ethan Long

The members of Fright Club are always ready to scare, but tonight Fran K. Stein is busy making something a little different. Eeek, it's a Valentine! Is Fran in love? (3–6 years)

Lola Dutch I Love You So Much by Kenneth Wright and Sarah Jane Wright

When Lola Dutch's friends are having a bad day, she knows just what they need. But there's one special friend she's forgotten—Bear. Can Lola find the perfect way to show how much he means to her? (3–6 years)

Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug by Jonathan Stutzman

Tiny T. Rex has a problem. His friend Pointy needs cheering up and only a hug will do. But with his short stature and teeny T. Rex arms, is a hug impossible? Not if Tiny has anything to say about it! (4–7 years)

You Loves Ewe! by Cece Bell

Yam introduces Donkey to a new friend, Ewe, a lady sheep, resulting in a fabulously funny play-on-words love triangle. Everyone's in love with you. Or is it Ewe? Punny fun for Valentine's Day or any day! (4–7 years)

Grumpy Monkey Valentine Gross-Out by Suzanne Lang

When Jim Panzee hears Oxpecker cooing over her doting boyfriend on Valentine's Day, he has just one thought: Gross. But Jim learns there are different types of valentines and many kinds of love. (4–8 years)

Click, Clack Moo, I Love You! by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin

When a little fox follows Little Duck's many decorations to the farm Valentine's Day Party, will it ruin the fun? Foxes aren't generally welcome on farms. But maybe she's just what the party needs (4–8 years)

Love, Splat by Rob Scotton

Splat has a special valentine for a certain someone in his class. But Kitten doesn't seem to like him at all—she's always tying his tail and poking his belly. Will Splat's heartfelt valentine win Kitten over? (4–8 years)

A Crankenstein Valentine by Samantha Berger

An ordinary kid becomes Crankenstein on the most lovey-dovey, yuckiest day of the year. Can Crankenstein find a way to turn his sour day sweet? Can a monster find a little love in his heart? (4–8 years)

Little Blue Truck's Valentine by Alice Schertle

Join Little Blue Truck as he delivers Valentine's Day cards to all his farm animal friends. But as Blue beeps along, he starts to wonder: will he get any cards of his own? (4 and up)

Love From the Crayons by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers

Love is yellow and orange. Because love is sunny and warm. Love is purple. Because it's okay to love outside the lines. The coloring crew explores the bright colors and subtle shades of love. (5–8 years)

Valentine's Day is a time to honor all kinds of love—with our families, friends, and communities. And it all starts with the kids, right? These books teach young readers about generosity, compassion, friendship, and self expression.

Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon