Book Review: 'Secret Valentine' by Catherine Stock

✰✰✰✰½ From author and illustrator Catherine Stock comes a gentle story of a mother and child making cards to celebrate Valentine's Day. The little girl's mother explains that "...it's a day to tell people that you love them." Together they make paper hearts and decorate the cards. When Valentine's Day arrives the little girl discovers that receiving cards is fun too, especially when one of the cards is a surprise.

The Bottom Line: As part of the The Festive Year collection of  holiday stories, this picture book about celebrating Valentine's Day is a winner. Stock's illustrations in watercolors and colored pencils are soft and engaging. With a focus of thinking of others and making cards instead of buying them, this sweet and tender story is perfect for classroom and library storytimes. Highly recommended for little ones ages 3 - 6.

Details: Secret Valentine written & illustrated by Catherine Stock. Hardcover picture book published by Bradbury Press in 1991. 26 p. ISBN: 0-02-788372-8