BOOK MARKED
12 Children’s Books for
Valentine’s Day
These stories reveal favorite characters
celebrating the holiday, sweet treats to bake,
awkward crushes, touching moments of
generosity and retellings of classics such as
“Cyrano de Bergerac” and “Pride and Prejudice.”
BY JENNIFER ROTHSCHILD, COLLECTION ENGAGEMENT LIBRARIAN,
ARLINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
PICTURE BOOKS
EARLY READERS
Written and illustrated by
Vincent X Kirsch
By Patricia C. McKissak,
illustrated by April Harrison
“From Archie to Zack”
Archie wants to tell his friend Zack how he feels
and decides a letter, from A to Z, is the best
way. The only problem is that Archie has a lot
of friends whose names start with Z! Luckily,
Zelda, Zinnia and Zuzella all know who the
letters are really for and deliver them to their
true recipient, who has been writing letters of
his own.

“This is NOT a Valentine”
By Carter Higgins,
illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins
“What is Given from the Heart”
After his father died, James Otis and his Mama
don’t have much—they had to leave the family
farm and now live in a small house that floods
when it rains. But for Valentine’s Day, their
pastor organizes “love boxes” for needy families.

Despite not having much, Mama uses her best
tablecloth to make an apron for a family that has
lost everything in a fire. James Otis takes his time
to think before finding something he can also
give. Published posthumously, this work is the
last book written by Patricia McKissak.

A little boy gives a friend things that are NOT
valentines. Valentines are pink with lacey
edges, and he’s gifting his lucky rock and
gumball machine jewelry that matches her
shoelaces. Besides, he likes her all the days,
not just on Feb. 14 , in this sweet story about
meaningful and everlasting gestures. This
story, much like the gifts it features, outlasts
the holiday.

“Llama Llama Be My Valentine”
“A Valentine for Frankenstein”
By Lauren Thompson,
illustrated by Buket Erdogan
By Leslie Kimmelman,
illustrated by Timothy Banks
Poor Frankenstein—he’s just not very good
at being a monster. He doesn’t have a tail
and only has two eyes and one head. On top
of that, he’s just too nice! At the Valentine’s
Day Bash, he gets in trouble for wiping
his mouth and decorating his cupcakes
with glitter instead of fungus. Despite his
setbacks, someone has slipped a Valentine
into his pocket, and his secret admirer is set
on the getting the other monsters to accept
Frankenstein just as he is.

32 Washington FAMILY FEBRUARY 2021
Based on the works of Anna Dewdney
It’s Valentine’s Day, and Llama Llama and his
friends are having a party at school. Their teacher
tells them they each need to bring something only
they can make. Gilroy Goat is worried, as he’s not
very crafty, so what can he bring to the party?
Luckily, his friend Llama Llama is there to help!
“Mouse Loves Love”
Mouse’s sister Mika is being very mysterious.

Mouse follows her around the house as she
gathers her treasures—shiny red paper, pink
ribbons and paste. What could she be doing and
why doesn’t she want Mouse to see?
MIDDLE GRADE
“Alien Next Door: The Mystery Valentine”
By A.I. Newton,
illustrated by Anjan Sarkar
This installment of the series sees Zeke, an
alien trying to fit in on Earth, try to make sense



BOOK MARKED
of the mysteries of Valentine’s Day. He has
his first crush, but all of his attempts to be
noticed aren’t working. Zeke and his friends
also have a mystery to solve Who sent him
the anonymous Valentine? Will Zeke get
everything figured out in time for his first
Valentine’s Day to be a success?
for young bakers at all levels. You’ll find great
ways to make treats for your friends and
grow your skills at the same time. The steps
are well-illustrated, and recipes range from
savory to sweet, including pizza, pastries and
everything in between.

gorgeous and vaguely mysterious, but he’s also
pretentious and snooty. It doesn’t help when her
older sister starts dating his older brother. This
remix of “Pride and Prejudice” set in modern-
day Bushwick tackles class, gentrification and
cultural identity in a delightful romance.

“Well, That Was Awkward”
YOUNG ADULT
“You Should See Me in a Crown”
“Full Disclosure”
By Camryn Garrett
Simone is doing great at her new school.

She is student directing the musical and
her crush, Miles, just might return her
affections. But then she gets a note that
proves someone knows her secret—she was
born HIV-positive, and if she doesn’t leave
Miles alone, her status will become public
knowledge. Simone is healthy, but she was
bullied out of her last school after everyone
found out. Now she’s torn between giving up
a new friendship that might turn to more and
disclosing on her own terms or risking it all
“Bake It!: 150 Favorite Recipes from “Pride”
and hoping it doesn’t come crashing down
Best-Loved DK Cookbooks”
By Ibi Zoboi
One of the best things about Valentine’s Day is Zuri Benitez cannot stand Darius Darcy, who again. Be captivated by this refreshing and
the sugar rush. This cookbook is full of recipes just moved in across the street. He may be rich, hopeful romance story. n
By Rachel Vail
Grace’s life gets overly complicated when
she develops a huge crush on AJ, but he likes
Sienna. Grace is used to being in second
place, so she helps Sienna write a text to AJ.

Meanwhile, AJ is getting help from his friend
Emmet, and soon it’s had for everyone to keep
track of who is texting who and why. Enjoy
this humorous and touching modern twist on
“Cyrano de Bergerac.”
By Leah Johnson
When her music scholarship falls through,
Liz has one other option to get the money
she needs for college—become prom queen,
which comes with its own scholarship. Only,
Liz is a poor, queer, Black girl in a largely
white, rich, prom-obsessed town. Things are
further complicated by Liz’s crush on the new
girl in school—who also happens to be a prom
queen legacy.

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