Wednesday, February 14, 2018

THIS IS NOT A VALENTINE by Carter Higgins / Book Review #ThisIsNOTAValentine


By: Carter Higgins
Illustrated by: Lucy Ruth Cummins
Published by: Chronicle Books
Released on: December 26th, 2017
Ages: 4 & older 
Purchase from: The Publisher | Amazon | B&N
Add it to Goodreads
Rating: 4 Owlets 
Thank you to the publisher for sending us a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review 

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.

This is the perfect, NOT a Valentine, Valentine. It's the kind of not a Valentine that isn't store bought, or glamorized. Instead it's the real, every day kind of non-Valentine Day things that show you care about that certain someone. It's in the little details, and the things you notice about the other person likes. It's a book about friendship, giggles, secrets, imaginative play, having fun with that certain someone, sharing, and realizing that the feelings you have for someone you really care about go beyond just one day. It's every day. Whether in friendship or when you really fall in love with someone. 

This is the perfect NOT a Valentine, because this book isn't a Valentine book. It's a fun story with cute illustrations that makes you realize loving someone goes beyond what Valentine's Day has become. It's in the little, every day things you do with that someone special. Loving and deeply caring about someone goes beyond one day, though there isn't anything wrong with making them feel special on one day. That's not what this book is about. It's NOT about Valentine's Day, but it's definitely worth picking up on Valentine's Day, or any day after it. 

1 comment:

  1. Aw, this seems so cute :D Thank you for sharing about it lovely. <3

    ReplyDelete

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~ Anna Quindlen

Good children's literature appeals not only to
the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child.
~ Anonymous ~