Tuesday Storytime: Valentine's Animals

The more things change, the more they stay the same.  Our trainee has moved on to different roles in a different location, so I'm back to the primary storytime presenter for now, with the hope of sharing the load evenly with our eventual new person.

For now tho, I had a lovely first day back in the groove with sweet valentine's day books and an actual craft for once (creating valentine's day cards for in-patient children at a nearby hospital).

Thank You Bear
Greg Foley
ISBN: 9780670061655
Bear finds a present for Mouse, but a slew of "friends" aren't very nice about the present. Is it good enough?

I love this because it's very clear and obvious that the friends aren't being friendly, and what impact that has on the poor Bear. In the end, Mouse is delighted with the gift, and the nay-saying others are forgotten or disregarded, as they should be.

Like Likes Like
Chris Raschka
ISBN: 0789481898
Poor cat is alone and lonely in a world of couples and groups. Then he finds a "like" animal to like.

This cat seriously has the saddest facial expressions I've ever seen in my whole life. He's SOOOO SAD! He wanders around lonely, sleeps lonely, and his world, even in a bed of roses, is sad and lonely. Then he finds another like him, and everything springs into happiness. Is it trite and cliche and simplistic and perhaps a bit too cloying at times? Yep. But is all of that par for the course around valentine's day? Absolutely. This one is sweet and happy-hearted, and I love it.

Bear in Love
Daniel Pinkwater, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand
ISBN: 9780763645694
I have gushed about this one before in person, but I don't think it's been listed here yet.

Bear finds a series of gifts (mostly edible) left outside his cave, and begins to reciprocate for his mysterious admirer friend. Eventually after a long process of exchanging gifts, the two meet and a sweet love story blooms. There is even a bit of subversive subtext as the bear's admirer is a bunny, and we never see any sign of gender.  It's cute, but be aware that the bear "sings songs" nearly on every spread, which for me are sing-song little cutesy things, but might give some storytellers or readers hives, or make them nervous.

Tuesday Storytime: Valentines Day

I think this was my favorite trio of Valentine's Day books yet.  Very happy with how they flowed together, and two of the three got checked out afterwards by attendees - that ALWAYS makes me feel warm and happy inside.

A Short History of Valentine's Day
Sally Lee (consulting editor: Gail Saunders-Smith, PhD)
ISBN: 9781491460986
Excellent nonfiction resource for the very youngest.  Part of a series (Thanksgiving reviewed here, and Christmas reviewed here.)

Nicely presented, with a focus on the history rather than the religious background.  Explains who Valentine (probably) was, the origin of thinking of Valentine's Day for romantic love (birds pairing off in the early spring), the dates when cards, then flowers, then candy were given, and when commercial cards became popular.  Exceedingly short, direct, and factual.


The Best Thing About Valentines
Eleanor Hudson, illustrated by Mary C. Melcher
ISBN: 0439521092
Gentle pastel-colored animal children celebrate creating, sending, and receiving valentines in rhyme.

This is exceedingly similar to The Day it Rained Hearts, but this one is both more straightforward and a little bit more cutesy with short (occasionally awkwardly paced) rhyming couplets.  Our furry childish friends are busy creating, sending, and getting valentines in school, and the story goes into decent detail for the length, both in illustrations and in wording.


Bear in Love
Daniel Pinkwater, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand
ISBN: 9780763645694
The MOST adorable book.  Bear gets a series of anonymous gifts, and leaves presents in return.

Hillenbrand has a special gift of making the most adorable illustrations.  In this story, a bear and bunny share a cautious and largely anonymous courtship of gift-giving, but we focus mostly on the bear and his feelings about being given presents and of having an admirer.  It's sweet and innocent and full of the delicious anticipatory and excited happiness that comes from feeling loved.