With nearly a year of this pandemic under our belts, the kiddos in our lives are feeling anxiety and confusion and all the same things we are. The kiddos (and their grownups!) could use some extra love. So for Valentine’s Day this year, send a socially distanced gift! These books are our favorite love-related books for preschoolers, I hope they bring you as much joy as they bring us.
I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through the links below. As always, check your local library first!
The best picture books for Valentine’s Day:
Homemade Love (Amazon and Bookshop) by bell hooks and illustrated by Shane. W. Evans is an absolute gem. A deceptively short poem that will have you returning over and over again. Bonus that it’s really helpful for kids who are afraid of the dark!
Hug Machine (Amazon and Bookshop) is one of our all-time favorites. And at only $7, I hope it will become one of yours too! We love the page where the hug machine wanders around the neighborhood giving hugs to everyone and everything. Written and illustrated by Scott Campbell.
Love by Sophia (Amazon and Bookshop) is SUCH a sweet book. Sophia learns about perspective at school, and uses her perspective to make a piece of art that she hopes will earn a place on the fridge. This is a great one for remembering that our little readers have perspectives of their own, and reminding the grownups to think about how they’re seeing our world. By Jim Averbeck, illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail.
Love Is More Contagious (only on Amazon I think) is an important read for preschoolers living through quarantine. The masks, the health care workers (heroes), the reminders that there is much to be thankful for in all of this. Extra points for normalizing kiddos wearing masks.
Love, Z (Amazon and Bookshop) tell the story of a robot who finds a message in a bottle and goes on an adventure to find out what love is. Spoiler alert, turns out they had love the whole time! By Jessie Sima (of the beloved Not Quite Narwhal).
This Love: A Celebration of Harmony Around the World (Amazon and Bookshop) is on every list this year, for good reason. A darling little rhyming books showing love around the world. We loved seeing the kids in so many different locations, but realizing we all care about our families and dogs and books. We have so much in common! By Isabel Otter, illustrated by Harriet Lynas.
Looking for more? See if you can check off all 100 Children’s Books to Read in 2021!