Publishers Weekly
Gail Gibbons adds to her holiday histories (Christmas Is...; Halloween Is...) with Valentine's Day Is..., going back to ancient Rome, when "people celebrated the beginning of spring with a festival," and boys picked girls' names from an urn to be their dates. She also covers Saint Valentine, the contribution of the Duke of Orleans (love poems) and the all-important Cupid. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal
K-Gr 3-In this engaging book, Gibbons covers the history and customs of the holiday as well as what it means to children today, concluding with simple directions for cutting a heart from folded paper. She introduces each topic with the title phrase, and a few simple sentences add detail. A large attractive illustration in predominantly reds and pinks covers each page, making the book suitable for group sharing. One spread depicts a classroom celebration. A good choice for updating holiday collections.-Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
In her signature style, Gibbons explains the origins, traditions and symbols of Valentine's Day. There are some good stories here, and young readers will enjoy the intriguing vignettes, including one about "a kind man named Valentine," who gave a letter to his friend's blind daughter, and when she opened the letter-signed "from your Valentine-her vision was restored. Cupid, Gibbons explains, "was the God of love in ancient Rome." Lace, she writes, is a Latin word that means " 'to snare or net,' as in catching someone's heart," which is why it's used to decorate valentines. Each colorful spread starts with the titular line: "Valentine's Day Is . . . " and is packed with visual detail. With instructions for making a heart-shaped card, this makes a nice addition to Gibbons's holiday oeuvre. (Picture book. 4-8)
From the Publisher
"Valentine's Day gets Gibbons' treatment—simple, direct, and illustrated with busily bright watercolors, here punctuated with lots of red hearts. Each spread begins with the sentence 'Valentine's Day Is..., which is completed with a word or phrase that points out a different aspect of the holiday. For instance, 'Valentine's Day is... a celebration of friendship and love' or 'Valentine cards' or 'flowers' or 'candy.' Then each thought is expanded. Sometimes the explanations are a bit truncated; at other times, they are a little off. It seems odd, for example, to talk about St. Valentine being jailed for his religious beliefs (and named a saint) without mentioning his religion. Likewise, the line 'Everyone gets lots of cards' seems insensitive to the many children who don't. But mostly this is a good introduction to a holiday that children become aware of early on. The pictures are filled with kids having a good time, and cards, gifts, and candy, and other symbols of the season decorate the pages. Instructions for making a simple valentine are appended."
