Celebrate the ‘love’ of literacy this Valentine’s Day

Parents and caregivers have the opportunity to surpass the surface of candy hearts and roses this Valentine’s Day by taking one step further to teach children the importance of kindness and compassion.

Many children’s books teach kid-friendly love lessons and share educational Valentine’s stories meant to pull at the heart strings. Love comes in many forms, including family, friends, kindness and meaningful relationships.

Visit your local book store this holiday, find a cozy corner with your little one and turn the page with one of these great “love” titles:

1.  Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton is the perfect love story for young children that can be enjoyed all year long. The canine cast complements the harmonious love story between a mother dog and her pup.
2. Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouse! by Laura Numeoff, which pairs well with If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, tells the tale of a mouse celebrating Valentine’s Day with his friends. Mouse makes special valentines that are customized for each of his friends to show what he loves about them.
3. The Invisible String by N. Di Angelo teaches how everyone is connected by “an invisible string” called love that reaches from heart to heart. The Invisible String is perfect for children to may be apart from their family this Valentine’s Day.
4. Llama Llama I Love You by Anna Dewdney features a little llama who shares heart-shaped cards and hugs with his loved ones for Valentine’s Day. The story is simple and short, perfect for babies and toddlers!
5. Love from The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle uses eye-catching illustrations of love to show how love makes the world a brighter place. This loving little caterpillar is bound to eat his way into your heart!

Spend this Valentine’s Day sharing the love of family, friends and literacy with your young child!