It’s almost time for hugs and kisses! The day we celebrate love, Valentine’s Day, is quickly approaching. One of my favorite things to do for every holiday is add books to the bookcase in my kid’s room, matching the month’s theme. And there are so many precious Valentine’s Day books for kids. Giving your children a Valentine’s gift basket with a few of these books to enjoy leading up to the holiday would be fun. A great way to enjoy them as a family would be to choose one book to read nightly before bed. You could also build a fort using pillows and blankets and read in there!
In this article, I’m sharing all my favorite Valentine’s Day books for kids that you can add to your library and cozy up with your kiddos to read. Read about Valentine’s Day with your favorite childhood characters like Clifford, Baby Shark, Arthur, Berenstain Bears, Pete the Cat, and more!
Valentine’s Day Books for Kids
Here are 33 children’s books that are perfect to read with your kids this Valentine’s Day:
1. “Love from The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle
Short, sweet, but full of love! These beautiful illustrations from Eric Carle will draw you in.
2. “Love From The Crayons” by Drew Daywalt
Perfect for teaching and reinforcing colors for toddlers! A great message about loving everyone no matter what.
3. “Disney Baby: My First Valentine’s Day” by Disney Books
An excellent Valentine’s Day book for babies! It will appeal to their kinesthetic side since each page has touch and feel. The Disney characters add to the fun!
4. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Little Critter” by Mercer Mayer
One of my favorite children’s series growing up was Little Critter. Cute stories and illustrations that always have a good moral. This book includes flaps the reader can pull back to reveal Valentine’s Day surprises!
5. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Curious George!” by N. Di Angelo
A classic children’s storybook character: Curious George! This Valentine’s Day book also includes liftable flaps that surprise the reader with various elements.
6. “Little Blue Truck Valentine” by Alice Schertle
This beloved series is a current favorite of my son’s! It has such fun, colorful illustrations and a large gatefold at the end of the story.
7. “Baby Shark: Happy Valentine’s Day!” by Pinkfong
Baby Shark is a big deal at our home! This is less of a story and more of an interactive Valentine’s Day craft book and includes stickers, cards, and a paper fortune teller you can make.
8. “I Love You” by Dawn Sirett
The sweetest touch-and-feel board book. Nothing says love like baby animals!
9. “Huggy Kissy” by Leslie Patricelli
Is there anything more adorable than a baby and a dog together?! This board book has both! Simple enough to keep babies and toddlers engaged.
10. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouse!” by Laura Numeroff
Join Mouse and all his friends for a Valentine’s Day you won’t forget! Each Valentine in the story represents one of his friends and what he loves most about them, giving it a personal touch.
11. “I Ruff You” by Sandra Magsamen
This cute board book is perfect for babies! There are a pair of plush dog ears that stick out. I love the simple language and message of the story.
12. “Biscuit’s Valentine’s Day” by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Cute puppies and love go together! Follow Biscuit on his Valentine’s Day adventures. There are some pull-back flaps for extra fun!
13. “I Love You, Stinky Face” by Lisa McCourt
This is a funny book about love. What kid doesn’t adore anything “stinky?” Giggle your way through this silly story.
14. “I Love You, Little Pookie” by Sandra Boynton
Funny illustrations and words from the heart make up this story’s declaration of love! It’s part of a series of books that would be a fun collection.
15. “Corduroy’s Valentine’s Day” by Lisa McCue
Corduroy the Bear is a classic and precious children’s literature friend! This festively shaped board book is perfect for Valentine’s Day.
16. “How Do Lions Say I Love You?” by Diane Muldrow
Perfect for toddlers learning their animal sounds! This tale is about how baby animals love and bond with their families.
17. “My Fuzzy Valentine” by Naomi Kleinberg
Ideally, hands-on for babies and toddlers! This Sesame Street Valentine’s Day book is designed with sturdy board pages for durable reading and fun.
18. “Love Monster” by Rachel Bright
A charming story about a hair monster who wants to fit in! He finally finds love when he least expects it.
19. “Snuggle Puppy!” by Sandra Boynton
A sweet little love song about a puppy! Perfect for singing aloud with your littles.
20. “The Berenstain Bears Love One Another” by Mike Berenstain
Classic storybook character friends, The Berenstain Bears, always teach the best lessons in their stories. This one reminds us of how to find ways to love each other!
21. “Click, Clack, Moo I Love You!” by Doreen Cronin
The farm animals are at it again! This time, Little Duck is throwing a Valentine’s Day party. This series has such cute illustrations!
22. “Arthur’s Valentine” by Marc Brown
Our beloved friend Arthur takes his turn on Valentine’s Day! He tries to guess who his secret admirer is and is surprised once he does!
23. “I Love You, Spot” by Eric Hill
Perfect for shorter attention spans and little hands! This board book allows you to join Spot as he surprises his mom by showing her how much he loves her.
24. “You’re My Little Cuddle Bug” by Nicola Edwards
I call my son “Bug,” so we love this story! Chunky pages and die-cuts throughout will keep little hands engaged throughout.
25. “Love: From Giraffes Can’t Dance” by Giles Andreae
Our friend from “Giraffes Can’t Dance” is back! It’s the perfect trim-size story celebration of love, music, and dance.
26. “I Love You, Funny Bunny” by Zondervan
This book full of read-along rhymes is perfect for kids to read any time of year, especially for Valentine’s Day! It describes how the parent bunny loves funny bunny and will make you grin throughout the story.
27. “Clifford Loves” by Norman Bridwell
Clifford is big and red with an even bigger heart! Enjoy this heart-shaped board book and share the love.
28. “I’ve Loved You Since Forever” by Hoda Kotb
It’s such a sweet story about love. I received this as a baby shower gift and have enjoyed reading it!
29. “Pete the Cat: Valentine’s Day Is Cool” by Kimberly and James Dean
Our fun friend Pete the Cat does Valentine’s Day! He makes anything and everything cool, as evident in this story.
30. “Franklin’s Valentines” by Paulette Bourgeois
A classic children’s book character, it’s Franklin! A sweet and lovely journey with our favorite turtle on Valentine’s Day.
31. “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch
It is an absolute classic that any children’s library isn’t complete without! I sing part of this book to my son before bed, just as my family did growing up. A must for any little one!
32. “How to Send a Hug” by Hayley Rocco
This sweet book shows how to send hugs through handwritten letters. In this story, a grandmother and granddaughter live far apart but stay connected through their letters.
33. “Dragonboy and the 100 Hearts” by Fabio Napoleoni
This adorable book is about a group of friends and focuses on kindness. You can also make it a fun game by trying to find all the hearts with your kid and asking them what kind acts caused the hearts to appear!
I hope you enjoyed this list of Valentine’s Day books for kids! Another fun way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with these precious books would be to give them in a fun “love basket.” To celebrate, fill a basket with Valentine’s Day pajamas, books, and other red-/pink-themed items! Give the basket to your kids with plenty of time before Valentine’s Day to fully enjoy all the items and the holiday. Make the celebration special by baking special treats as a family and enjoying a love-themed movie together. Enjoy starting new traditions and making more memories this Valentine’s Day!
