Valentine's Day, here I come!

PreS-Gr 1--This latest title in the "Here I Come!" series is filled with short, rhyming poems celebrating Valentine's Day at home, at school, and in the community. The characters' excitement for the day is shown as they get ready for a big party that includes homemade treats and cards with punny sayings. Illustrated with artwork that promotes diversity and inclusion, the poems also offer fun ideas of how to dress, what to eat, and how to express love on this special day of the year. No one is left out--not even special toys or pets! VERDICT Not for library use; this book includes valentines and stickers for children to use to make greetings of their own for someone special in their lives. Keep a copy for story hours; adults will have fun reading the poems aloud.--Tanya Boudreau

A collection of poems follows a group of elementary school students as they prepare for and celebrate Valentine's Day. One student starts the day by carefully choosing clothing in pink, purple, or red, while a family kicks off the morning with a breakfast of red, heart-shaped pancakes. At school, children create valentines until party time finally arrives with lots of yummy treats. The students give valentines to their school friends, of course, but we also see one child making a "special delivery" to a pet, a stuffed animal, family members, and even the crossing guard. The poems also extend the Valentine's celebration to the community park, where other couples--some older, one that appears to be same-sex--are struck by cupid's "magical love arrows." Note the child running away: "Blech!" Not everyone wants to "end up in love!!!" But the spread devoted to Valentine's jokes will please readers more interested in humor than in romance and inspire children to create their own jokes. To make the celebration complete, the last pages of the book contain stickers and a double-sided "BEE MINE!" valentine that readers can, with adult help, cut out. Cheery and kid-friendly, the poems can be read independently or from cover to cover as a full story. The cartoonish illustrations include lots of hearts and emphasize the growing Valentine's Day excitement, depicting a diverse classroom that includes students who use wheelchairs. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Effectively captures the excitement surrounding Valentine's Day. (Picture-book poetry. 4-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.