These books are always good but particularly fun to share in February. They focus on friendship (Valentine), time and just plain fun. I also try to list lesser known books rather than all the well known titles.

(P) = picturebook

Valentine Hearts: Holiday Poetry by by Lee Bennett Hopkins and JoAnn Adinolfi (poetry)

• It’s About Time, Pascale Estellon (nonfiction)

• PoPo’s Lucky Chinese New Year by Virginia Loh-Hagan (P)

• A World of Kindness by Editors and Illustrators of Pajama Press (P)

• Maggie’s Chopsticks by Alan Woo (P)

• Sterling, Best Dog Ever by Cassie, Aidan (P)

• Meet Viola Desmond by MacLeod, Elizabeth (nonfiction)

• The Word Collector by Reynolds, Peter H.

• Red Is Best by Stinson, Kathy

• Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff 

• Love the Baby by Layne, Steven L.

• Nut and Bolt by Cock, Nicole DeClerc

• The Giving Tree by Silverstein, Shel

• Zoom by Banyai, Istvan

• Pete the Cat: Valentine’s Day Is Cool by James Dean

• The Other Author Arthur by Fitch, Sheree (early reader)

• Goodnight, Sweet Pig by Bailey, Linda (poetry)

• Effie by Allinson, Beverley

• Hooray For Diffendoofer Day! by Seuss, Dr.

• Dear Mr. Henshaw by Cleary, Beverly

• Whoever You Are by Fox, Mem

• Koala Lou by Fox, Mem

And finally a review of a wonderful new picturebook coming out in April 2020: The Word For Friend by Aidan Cassie is the story of a little kid, no wait, it’s a little pangolin – who moves to a new country. She likes trying new foods and seeing new sights but when she gets to her new school, she does not speak the language. How do you make friends if you can’t understand them? This is a lovely story of making friends, trying new things and learning about the world. The fictional story is accompanied by nonfiction information on esperanto, a world language as well as information on pangolins.