Our Favorite Valentine's Day Books for Kids
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Show your kiddos extra affection by playing cupid this Valentine's Day. Fill your loved ones’ hearts with a love for reading by surprising them with one of these adorable Valentine's Day books.
More: How to Use Valentine’s Day to Teach Kids About Love
A book is always a wonderful choice for a Valentine’s Day gift, and it’s a lovely tradition to start early. From your baby’s very first valentine themed board book to self-love inspiration for teens, it’s the perfect gift to give year after year. Gifting books is a tried and true way to say I love you along with a sweet Valentine’s Day card.
Our Top Picks
- Best Valentine Board Book: Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff at Amazon
- Best Valentine Picture Book: Love from The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle at Amazon
- Best Rhyming Valentine Book: Pete the Cat: Valentine's Day Is Cool by Kimberly and James Dean at Amazon
- Best Valentine Chapter Book: Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentine by Barbara Park at Amazon
- Best Valentine Book About Animals: Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink by Diane deGroat at Amazon
- Best Valentine Book for Preschoolers: The Biggest Valentine Ever by Steven Kroll at Amazon
- Best Valentine Book to Read with Crafts: The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond at Amazon
- Best Classic Valentine Book for Kids: Happy Valentine's Day, Charlie Brown! by Charles M. Schulz at Amazon
- Best Valentine Joke Book: The Laugh Challenge Joke Book: Valentine Edition by Riddleland at Amazon
- Best Valentine Journal: Love, Mom and Me: A Mother and Daughter Keepsake Journal by Katie Clemons at Amazon
- Best Self Love Book for Teen Girls: The Girl’s Guide to Loving Yourself by Diane Mastromarino Jensen at Amazon
- Best Teen Coloring Book: Follow Your Heart by Art Therapy Coloring at Amazon
- Best Self Care Book for Teen Boys: Shoot Your Shot: A Sports Inspired Guide to Living Your Best Life by Vernon Brundage, Jr. at Amazon
- Best Valentine’s Day Story for Kids: Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli at Amazon
What to Consider When Purchasing
When choosing a special valentine book for your child, be sure to consider the following:
- Their age and developmental stage
- Whether they would like a book you can read aloud to them or whether they would rather read something at a just right reading level
- Whether it would make sense to choose hardcover, soft cover, a board book, or an activity book.
How We Chose Our Favorites
We consulted with parents and kids to get the lowdown on what you need to know to choose the perfect Valentine’s Day books for kids. We also chose kids' books that are easily available via Amazon Prime.
By Laura Numeroff
Follow along with beloved Mouse from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie as he creates valentines for his friends at school. Children will learn how to give compliments and be kind to classmates with this positive story!
Age Range: 4-8 years
“We rarely buy holiday-themed books, but our 3 year old was struggling to understand Valentine's Day and this was an adorable way to explain it. She still reads it, months later. And it ties nicely with the Give a Mouse a Cookie/Pig a Pancake books.”
By Eric Carle
This love-letter inspired book is the perfect way to express your feelings to your child. Children will love the vibrant images and return of their favorite storybook caterpillar in this Valentine's-focused story.
Age Range: 3-5 years
“As a kindergarten teacher, it's impossible not to be a fan of all things Eric Carle. From his artwork, to his beautiful, accessible text, each book is truly a treasure. The latest from the Hungry Caterpillar is no exception! This is a perfect gift for any young reader... for Valentine's Day or any other occasion that you want them to know they are loved.”
By Kimberly and James Dean
Pete's getting ready to celebrate Valentine's Day with all of his feline friends. Kids can help Pete prepare his valentine greetings and make some of their own with the poster, punch-out valentine cards, and stickers included with this book!
Age Range: 4-8 years
“Can I give 10 stars? This $6.39 book is worth a million! The story is really cute & the tear out cards, stickers & poster come perforated for easy removal.”
By Barbara Park
Kindergartner Junie gets a big surprise on Valentine's Day -- a card from a secret admirer! In this beginner's chapter book, young readers get to help Junie solve a Valentine's Day mystery and learn who thinks she's pretty darn special!
Age Range: 6-9 years
“All Junie B Jones books have been a hit with my 7 and 9 year old granddaughters. They didn’t really enjoy reading until they found this series! The Mushy Gushy Valentine is the perfect treat for a Valentines gift!”
By Diane deGroat
Gilbert is preparing valentines for his classmates, but he's being naughty and writing mean rhymes. He quickly learns that hurt feelings aren't fun and how to create happy messages on his cards in this inspiring 32-page book. This is a sweet story to teach children about the right kind of messaging to share in a card with others.
Age Range: 4-8 years
“My kids loved the way this book was written. They laughed at the silly Valentine poetry (and spent days making up their own!) and we were able to have a great conversation about the deeper lesson in the story. Super good book and you can't beat the price.”
By Steven Kroll
Clayton and Desmond are creating the most beautiful valentine ever for their beloved teacher. The kids each try to make the card perfect and end up tearing it in half! Kids will learn an important lesson as they read how they finally learned to work together to achieve a common goal. They will also love the colorful stickers that accompany the book.
Age Range: 3-5 years
“The illustrations are bright, colorful, and detailed and really contribute to the story well. If you're looking for a cute Valentine's book with a great message or if you are a teacher like me, you can also use this as a values lesson about friendship and teamwork, then this is the perfect book!”
By Felicia Bond
One magical day, it rained hearts. Cornelia Augusta caught as many as she could and turned them into valentines for her favorite animal friends in this creative, thoughtful tale of showing affection for others. This is an excellent book to pair with Valentine craft making.
Age Range: 4-8 years
“I got this for my son when he was three and he liked it so much it inspired him to make hearts and crafts every year for his friends and he's six now. I think the ending is great because it suggests she finds new and different ways to show her friends appreciation each year. I also like it because it's sensitive and promotes giving during Valentine's not just getting.”
By Charles M. Schulz
Comic strip hero Charlie Brown and his best pal Snoopy celebrate Valentine's Day by working up the courage to give the Little Red-Haired Girl a valentine. The Peanuts gang helps kids explore how to express feelings on this loving holiday - especially bravery!
Age Range: 5 - 7 years
“It is now my 5 year old granddaughter 's favorite book. She absolutely loves it and must read it (have it read to her) multiple times per day!”
By Riddleland
This is a fun book for kids of almost any age who love to tell jokes. This is also a great choice for kids who are not big readers. Even older kids and teens will appreciate this book.
Age Range: 6 years old and up
“This is such a cute book for family night ! My family laughed till we cried!!! Very cute.”
By Katie Clemons
This journal is the perfect way to celebrate your mother daughter relationship with your little girl who is not so little anymore. You will enjoy sharing perspectives and memories, as well as exploring common interests together.
Age Range: 7 years old and up
“My daughter and I absolutely love this book! My oldest daughter is 9 and loves to keep a journal but can never think of what to write. I bought this on a whim hoping to help spark some conversation between us, but instead it’s opened up a whole new world of communication. She get so excited when I pass it back to her and often spends the next few hours responding to my entry and then taking her turn on the next page. I will definitely be buying this again as my younger daughters get older!”
By Diane Mastromarino Jensen
This is the perfect book to inspire the special girl in your life to love herself, embrace life, and let her light shine. This is an empowering book choice for adolescent girls, and a beautiful way to help your daughter understand the importance of loving herself.
Age Range: 7 years old and up
“Lovely. Purchased for my teen daughter. It seems to have wonderful advice and is an easy to read book.”
By Art Therapy Coloring
This is a wonderful way to encourage your child to set aside time for self care. They can color inspirational messages and use it as a stress reliever. Encouraging your teens to relax and create is a beautiful thing.
Age Range: Teens
“Plenty of black detail which makes coloring and finishing easier. Each page has an inspirational quote that is the main focus and it is outlined with detail around it. Some pages have more detailed designs while some have less detailed designs. Perfect for when you want to color more or less. One print per page to minimize any bleed through. Purchased as a gift and I am sure the teen that I am giving it to will LOVE it! Totally recommend this and would buy it again!”
By Eileen Spinelli
This Valentine book for kids has a thorough enough plot to captivate children of various ages. It teaches a heartwarming lesson about noticing the people that others may overlook and the power of reaching out to all people.
Age Range: 3 to 8 years old
“Found this one for my kids while on a mission to celebrate Valentine's Day. This is, at its heart, about the transformational effect of love on a lonely man, about reaching out to people you might overlook, about being a part of a community / connecting with people, and about how a person can enrich others' lives by sharing their unique strengths and talents. That's a LOT to successfully pack into a picture book! It teaches empathy, and it's really SO beautiful.”
Looking for more activities for kids for Valentine’s Day? Check out our Valentine’s Day Printables and activities.
