Something heartwarming and lovely for Valentine’s Day: a chance to win one of four adorable picture books! Courtesy of the generous folks at Raincoast Books, I have four reads to share with you; one lucky Canadian reader will have the chance to win their top picture book or board book pick. The details for the Valentine’s Day Picture Book Giveaway are at the bottom of the post, so please read on!

Let’s take a closer look at the beautiful books:

Words and Your Heart by Kate Jane Neal
Publication: December 26, 2017 by Feiwel & Friends

This book is about your heart. (the little bit inside of you that makes you, you!)
The words we listen to can affect how we feel.
Some words can do amazing things and make us happy.
And some words can really hurt us (we all know what sort of words those are).
Our words have power, and we can choose to use them to make the world a better place.

Simple, direct, and emotive, Words and Your Heart ‘s message is that words have extraordinary power-to harm and to heal; to create and to destroy; and to spread love.

“How about we use our words to look after each other’s hearts?”

Kate Jane Neal, the writer and illustrator of Words and Your Heart, has crafted something potent and poignant here. Message books for children can be tricky to pull off- I find anything too preachy or didactic tends not to land- but Words and Your Heart is a treasure. Straightforward and open, elevated by a sophisticated black, white and red colour palette, a simple but seriously important message lies in this picture book: “your words are amazing and powerful”. As readers learn, words can build someone up, tear them down, make them feel brave, make them feel scared or sad…Neal’s book asks readers to (please!) carefully consider your words and how they effect the heart of another. Fitting for Valentine’s sure, but also terrific for a storytime or read aloud on the subject of feelings and friendship!

This Is Not a Valentine by Carter Higgins, illus. Lucy Ruth Cummins
Publication: December 26, 2017 by Chronicle Books

This book is not a valentine. It doesn’t have lacey edges or sugary hearts. But it is full of lucky rocks, secret hiding spots, and gumball machine treasures. This is a book about waiting in line and wishing for cinnamon buns. About recognizing that if you care so much about someone not thinking you care, maybe you really do. But wait-isn’t that exactly what love is about? Maybe this book is sort of a valentine after all. A testament to handmade, wacky, bashful, honest love-sure to win over the hearts of all readers-this offering from debut picture book author Carter Higgins and children’s book veteran Lucy Ruth Cummins is the perfect gift to celebrate every relationship, from parent to child, sibling to sibling, partner to partner, crush to crush.

Even though it will likely protest this statement, This Is Not a Valentine might just be the most perfect Valentine! Readers, through the eyes of an adamant young protagonist, get to learn about all the ways that certain things (kinds of flowers, kinds of hand drawn pictures, grocery store rings in plastic cases that match your favourite shoelaces, hand-folded paper airplanes, etc.) are definitely, absolutely NOT Valentine’s… As our young protagonist explains his way through how his (actually extremely heartwarming, thoughtful and considerate) gifts to a classmate in his school are NOT Valentine’s, readers will likely feel their hearts start to soften, and their mouths turn up in a goofy, happy grin. (One of my favourite parts of This Is Not a Valentine is when we’re told that this is not a Valentine because “I like you all the days”, not only for today). So wonderfully written and matched with perfect illustrations, Carter Higgins and Lucy Ruth Cummins have knocked it out of the park with This Is Not a Valentine!

I Love Kisses by Sheryl McFarlane, illus. Brenna Vaughan
Publication: December 26, 2017 by Sourcebooks

I love kisses.
I’ll bet that you do too!

Wake up sleepyhead kisses
Raspberry jam and bread kisses…

There are lots of kinds of kisses in the world, and they all say something different. Award-winning author Sheryl McFarlane’s new book celebrates the best part about kisses; while each one is unique, they all say I love you!”

I Love Kisses is a very sweet and simple picture book all about…you guessed it- kisses! From “sloppy licking pup kisses”, to “baby brother drool kisses”, McFarlane and Vaughan’s totally adorable read is a perfect ode to love, families and friends, and perfect for Valentine’s Day! Easy to read text, repetition, and full colour cuddly illustrations make this one just right for toddlers, or for curling up and reading aloud with wee ones.

Kiss It Better by Smriti Prasadam-Halls, illus. Sarah Massini (board book)
Publication: October 24, 2017 by Bloomsbury USA

Every day has its ups and downs
Sometimes you giggle, sometimes you frown.
But the thing to remember, the secret, is this . . .
Everything feels better with the help of a KISS.

There are go-to-sleep kisses, I’m-sorry kisses, I-love-you kisses, and more. For every time of day there’s a kiss to go with it, and whether you’re big or small, young or old, it always makes you feel better. So the next time you see someone you love, just remember . . . a kiss is the very best gift of all!

A tender expression of love, Kiss It Better is the perfect gift for every parent and child who love Nancy Tillman and Marianne Richmond.

Similarly to I Love Kisses mentioned above, Kiss It Better is another lovingly sweet, encouraging (but not cloying!) read just right for Valentine’s Day. Kiss It Better, illustrated with darling bears of all kinds by Sarah Massini, takes readers through all kinds of kisses. Everything from “get-well-soon” kisses, to “I’m-sorry” kisses lets readers know that kisses can say so many different things, and help us when we’re in need. Prasadam-Halls text is light and lyrical, genuinely sweet, and any readers who enjoy their Valentine’s reads cuddly and heartening might especially appreciate this lovely board book.

Giveaway Info:

The Valentine’s Day Picture Book Giveaway is open to Canadian residents, ages 18 and up. The giveaway will run from January 31, 2018 to February 12, 2018. One winner will be randomly selected at the end of giveaway via Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond via Twitter or by emailing me at fabbookreviews[at]gmail[dot]com, confirming their name, their mailing address, and their one book prize pick. If the first drawn winner does not contact me within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! Thank you to all who participated!

Click here to enter the giveaway via Rafflecopter!

I received copies of the four titles from Raincoast Books in exchange for honest reviews. Opinions and comments regarding the titles are my own. Prizes provided courtesy of Raincoast Books.