If You Were My Valentine

by Lynn Plourde, Jennifer L. Meyer (Illustrator)

Overview

This Valentine-themed follow-up to If I Could Give You Christmas is an adorable celebration of love and the special relationship between parents and children.
 If you were my valentine,
I would jump, jump with joy!

Valentine's Day is for cuddles, sweet treats, silly games, and spending time with the ones we hold dear. Join all kinds of animals and their valentines—from rabbits and puffins, to cougars and otters, to a bigger-than-big whale—in this cozy picture book celebration of love.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316707077
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	01/25/2022
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,063,718
Product dimensions:	10.40(w) x 8.35(h) x 0.55(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Lynn Plourde is the author of If I Could Give You Christmas, If You Were My Valentine, and many other children's books, including Pigs in the Mud in the Middle of the Rud, Wild Child, Bella's Fall Coat, and Maxi's Secrets. She considers herself a "teaching author," because she makes so many visits to schools to teach kids how to become better writers. Lynn lives in Winthrop, Maine, in a house surrounded by woods. She invites you to visit her online at lynnplourde.com and on Twitter @lynnplourde.

Jennifer L. Meyer illustrates books for children, including If I Could Give You Christmas, If You Were My Valentine, the Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet series, and The Biggest Little Farm: Saving Emma the Pig. Her artwork has won two awards from the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles and been featured in Spectrum: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art. She lives in Georgia and invites you to visit her online at jennifer-meyer.com, on Twitter @jenniferlmeyer, or Instagram @jenniferl.meyer.

Editorial Reviews

11/08/2021

Pinks and purples abound in this lushly visual festival of love. Employing the refrain “If you were my Valentine,” Plourde presents baby animals being showered with care and attention by an adult animal in light-infused scenes. Juvenile hummingbirds and an adult bathe in golden nectar (“I would make your day sweeter than sweet”); a puffin and puffling embrace tenderly beneath cordiform clouds (“I would lean in until our love becomes one”). Close readers will find that consecutive glowing spreads include glimpses of the creatures featured in the previous scene. For added whimsy, Meyer’s realistically rendered animals casually sport human accoutrements such as eyeglasses, hats, and clothing. Including whales and wolves, elk and rabbits, the warmhearted text and rich, page-filling digital paintings build to a greeting-card-like conclusion about the staying power of Valentine’s sentiments. Ages 4–8. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

Pinks and purples abound in this lushly visual festival of love…. the warmhearted text and rich, page-filling digital paintings build to a greeting-card-like conclusion about the staying power of Valentine’s sentiments.—Publishers Weekly

"This is a book that can be shared with children of all ages. Even the youngest children, including toddlers, will be fascinated by the colorful images and drawn in by the beautiful message."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

12/17/2021

PreS-Gr.2—A wonderful Valentine's holiday book, which conveys the message that love should be shared all throughout the year. On each page, an animal family shares their idea of what they do with their child if "you were my Valentine." A whale would make a big splash for their child, while a bird would make their child's day "sweeter than sweet." Each page leads readers closer to the final message: Love should be heard every single day. Plourde's tale is simple and touching, with just a few words on each page. Illustrations by Meyer are very detailed. Each animal has a special added human quality, such as a hat or pair of glasses. The colors are both vibrant and soothing at the same time. This is a book that can be shared with children of all ages. Even the youngest children, including toddlers, will be fascinated by the colorful images and drawn in by the beautiful message. VERDICT Recommended for public and elementary school libraries, as families will enjoy reading it together over and over again.—Sara Collins

School Library Journal