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SeaStar
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I edited the title of this post because I realized that, in considering Valentine's Day, I was being way too narrow in my approach. To fill my holiday basket for Valentine's Day- why can't I include great stories of love and friendship?... So...
Of all the holidays throughout the year, it seems like the selection of Valentine's Day books we have here at home and at our library are the most twaddly. Some of the religious ones focusing on St. Valentine are fine, but delving into fiction...  Most are silly, some even offensive.
Which are your favorites?
Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch is a recent find, and although I'm not crazy about the illustrations, it is a great story about how one act of kindness can change someone's life.
Mr. Hatch is a sad man leading a lonely life until a valentine is delivered to his door- by mistake, although he doesn't realize this. This one small act puts a whole chain of events in motion that changes his life.
Valentine's Day, loneliness, change, love, helping, kindness, family
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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SeaStar
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Owen and Mzee
A great (and true) love story between a baby hippo and a giant tortoise.
There are longer versions for older kids, and board book editions for littles.
 this story!
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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SusanJ
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What about The Princess and the Kiss
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Mom to Joseph-8, Margaret-6, William-4, Gregory-2, and new little one due 11/1
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[URL=http://thejohnstonkids.blogspot.com]The Kids' Blog[/UR
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SeaStar
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Octopus Hug
By Laurence Pringle
This is one of my very favorite books about a dad taking care of the kids when mom goes out for the evening. This dad gets down on the floor and plays with the kids. The books recounts all the favorite games they play together. It's a salute to those great, fun-loving, rolling around on the floor kind of dads
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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MaryM
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Linking some that have been listed in the Picture Book of the Day threads:
Love is
St. Valentine
I Love You Like Crazy Cakes
And I knew I had mentioned this books somewhere on the forums. Took me awhile to find it in the rabbit trails section.
MaryM wrote:
| Cay recently wrote a post about The Ballad of Valentine. We checked it out and it is a very sweet book following the rhythm of the song "Oh, My Darling Clementine." A lot of fun and a lot of rabbit trail possibilities as Cay points out. |
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Mary M. in Denver
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lapazfarm
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The Kissing Handby Audrey Penn is a favorite. Very sweet.
Even if I did something awful about a parent's unconditional love for a child.
and this one is a favorite for the lovely story, illustrations and the Alaskan setting:
Mama Do You Love Me?
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
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SeaStar
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Mr. Tanen's Ties
we've talked about this one before... a very sweet book with a romance inside
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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Mimip
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Our favorite around here is
The Valentine Bears
by Eve Bunting
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In Christ,
Mimi
Wife of 16 years to Tom, Mom of DD'00, DD'02, '04(in heaven) DS'05, DS'08 and DS '12
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SeaStar
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The Day It Rained Hearts
Felicia Bond
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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MaryM
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A classsic! Frog Went A-Courtin' - John Langstaff and Feodor Rojankovsky
Have a couple of prospective books on reserve from the library to review. Will update when I get them.
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Mary M. in Denver
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MaryM
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One more I just remembered again:
Nacho and Lolita - If you read the review it sounds kind of goofy. Honestly I passed it over the first time. Then my sister highly recommended it so I read it. It really is a sweet love story and it's set at Mission San Juan Capistrano and so discusses the migration to the mission on the Feast of St. Joseph.
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Mary M. in Denver
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DominaCaeli
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I really like the Gillian Tyler version as well. And Elizabeth Mitchell's audio version is so fun!
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Celeste
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Mommy to six: three boys (8, 4, newborn) and four girls (7, 5, 2, and 1)
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Mackfam
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This is one of our favorite Valentines books.
Another book we read here is Tasha Tudor's, All For Love.
Our other Valentine book has already been mentioned by Mary - we enjoy it as well - Saint Valentine, by Robert Sabuda.
I found it interesting to discover one of the possible explanations offered for the connection between offering "Valentines" associated with declaring affection and overtures of love and admiration for someone, and the priest, St. Valentine, who was martyred under the reign of Claudius II in the year 270:
Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs, Father Francis Weiser wrote:
His feast was from the earliest times associated with the traditional habit of boys and girls declaring their love or choosing a "steady partner" for the following twelve months. The selection was often done, especially in France and England, by a game of chance, the boys drawing the names of their respective "Valentines." Our greeting cards on Valentine's Day are a modern form of this ancient practice.
How did the saint become associated with this unusual lore? Various explanations have been attempted. It is said that the practice originated because people believed that on St. Valentine's Day birds started to mate, (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1949). However, such legends do not explain the custom. Besides, in central Europe the Feast of St. Agnes (January 21) has always been considered the mating day of birds, although St. Valentine is venerated as the "patron of lovers" even there. |
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I thought that was an interesting connection, and noting that we do start to see birds preparing nesting materials here about that time, we also pull out our bird books that have to do with nesting practices on the day after St. Valentine's Day. Thought I'd mention that rabbit trail.
Happy St. Valentine's day to all of you!
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Jen Mackintosh
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ALmom
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Maybe a stretch - but The Runaway Bunny. I just think it is an awesome analogy to God's love for us - even when we're stubborn.
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Kathryn
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Jen...does it matter which version of this book to purchase? I looked on ebay and Amazon and noticed the different editions as well as the price difference.
Thanks in advance,
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(dd 16, ds 15, dd 8, dd 5)
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Mackfam
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ALmom wrote:
| Maybe a stretch - but The Runaway Bunny. I just think it is an awesome analogy to God's love for us - even when we're stubborn. |
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I love the Runaway Bunny, Janet! I never thought of adding it to our collection! Perfect!
Kathryn wrote:
| Jen...does it matter which version of this book to purchase? I looked on ebay and Amazon and noticed the different editions as well as the price difference. |
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The price differences you're finding are likely due to first editions or signed copies. Tasha Tudor books can be quite collectible. The copy I purchased is the same edition I linked to at Amazon (February, 2000). I bought it used and probably paid no more than $3 for the book as that is generally my top limit. Good luck deciding! It's a sweet book!
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Jen Mackintosh
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Kathryn
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Mackfam wrote:
I bought it used and probably paid no more than $3 for the book as that is generally my top limit. |
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Oooo...a bargain shopper after my own heart!  I'm off to buy one myself. It looked sooo good but I didn't know if one was better than the other. Thanks again!
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SeaStar
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Cranberry Valentine
I almost forgot about this one! I love all the attetntion Mr. Whiskers gets from all the ladies
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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MaryM
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Here are three that I'm also adding to the cat thread - because they are cat-themed Valentine/love stories.
The Valentine Cat (Robert Clyde Bulla) - This is a very sweet story, fairly long in text for a picture book. Tells the story of little kitten with no home who is found and adopted by a lonely painter. Because he is black with a white heart shaped patch on his forehead he is referred to as the Valentine cat. The painter's life brightens with this new friend in his life until the cat is stolen by a mean chimney sweep. The rest of the story tells how he is eventually reunited with his true owner after a Valentine parade. I found the book to be quite charming and particularly nostalgic with the lovely illustrations by Caldecott artist, Leonard Weisgard.
Senor Don Gato (illustrated by John Manders) - There is an old Spanish folk song by this name and this is the lyrics set to humorous illustrations. The protagonist - Senor Don Gato is a cat who while reading a love letter from a lady cat falls off the roof. He is thought to be dead and his funeral procession passes by a fish market where the smells revive him. It is really silly but cute. It's especially interesting given it is a real folk song.
For the Love of Autumn (Patricia Polacco) - A young teacher has a cat named Autumn whom she loves very much. An injured Autumn goes missing during a terrible storm. She and her students search but to no avail. Many weeks later Autumn shows up with a bandaged tail and a new collar. The mystery of where she has been and who has been taking care of her, leads to love.
Also adding:
The Velveteen Rabbit (adapted by Lou Fancher) - Picture book adaptation of the original by Margery Williams. Holds true to the essence of the story of the little bunny who becomes real after the boy has really loved him. Nice illustrations.
The Story of Valentine's Day (Clyde Robert Bulla) - Tells the story of the origins and customs surrounding this day. Starts with the early Roman traditions (pre-Christian) of spring and love then covers the incorporation into the Christian calendar of St. Valentine and the traditions that have come from that. This is a reprinted version with illustrations by Susan Estelle Kwas. The 1965 edition if you can find it is titled St. Valentine's Day and is illustrated by Valenti Angelo.
Little Mouse's Big Valentine (Thacher Hurd) - Had not read any of his books before. He is the son of Clement Hurd and Edith Thacher Hurd - well know author/illustrators of pictures books from the early picture book days. It's a cute story of a mouse who makes a giant Valentine but can't find anyone to accept. After going through a series of adventures he does find a special someone.
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Mary M. in Denver
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SeaStar
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Guess How Much I Love You
A sweet classic- especially for littles
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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4Real Forums : Picture Book Discoveries
Topic: Books & Love Stories for Valentine's Day
