Love is in the Air

Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate relationships. Whether it a friend, family member or a romantic relationship, readers like to send Valentine’s Day cards. This special day has indeed become commercial, but readers should be encouraged to make their own cards rather than spending money on ones someone else created.

Here are suggestions for celebrating Valentine’s Day:

Divide older readers into two groups, and ask each group to research St. Valentine and write a one-act play about him. One group should make their play for younger readers, and the other for their peers. Then have them to perform it for appropriate groups.
Bring in samples of Valentine cards for readers to study. Include cards for all types of relationships: parent, child, grandparents, and friends. Also include serious cards and humorous cards. Engage readers in a discussion about what it means to select or make a card that is appropriate for a specific person.
Ask readers from middle to high school to use books in the library or sites on the Internet to find images of historical Valentine’s Day cards. Then have them make a card for a character in a historical novel. Suggestions from Random House:

All the Way Home (middle grade) by Patricia Reilly Giff

Hattie Big Sky (middle grade) by Kirby Larson

The Mighty Miss Malone (middle grade) by Christopher Paul Curtis

Sylvia and Aki (middle grade) by Winifred Conkling

A Faraway Island (YA) by Annika Thor

Ashes of Roses (YA) by Mary Jane Auch

How I Found the Strong (YA) by Margaret McMullan

Display books about love and Valentine’s Day and suggest that readers pick one to share with a special friend. Suggestions from Random House:

The Berenstain Bears’ Funny Valentine (Picture book) by Stan and Jan Berenstain

I Haiku You (picture book) by Betsy E. Snyder

Who Needs Love? (picture book) by Elise Primavere & illus. by Laura Park

Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentine (early reader) by Barbara Park & illus. by Denise Brunkus

Bad Hair Day (YA) by Carrie Harris

Dizzy in Your Eyes: Poems about Love (young adult) by Pat Mora

How They Met and Other Stories (YA) by David Levithan

Love and Other Perishable Items (YA) by Laura Buzo

Meant to Be (YA) by Lauren Morrill

Romeo Redeemed (YA) by Stacey Jay

Unleashed (YA) by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

Make a valentine for the main character in a novel. Suggestions from Random House:

Hugo in Hugo and the Really, Really, Really Long String (picture book) by Bob

Boyle

Autumn in Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different (middle grade) by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb

Madison in No Cream Puffs (middle grade) by Karen Day

Carson in The New Kid (middle grade) by Mavis Jukes

Primrose Squarp in One Year in Coal Harbor (middle grade) by Polly Horvath

Sally J. Freedman in Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself (middle grade) by Judy Blume

Kenny in The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963 (middle grade) by Christopher Paul Curtis

Read a novel and make a valentine that two or more of the characters might give to one another. Suggestions from Random House:

The kids to their grandfather in Song and Dance Man (picture book) by Karen Ackerman & illus. by Staphen Gammell

Georges and Safer in Liar & Spy (middle grade) by Rebecca Stead

Hattie and Delores in Finding Somewhere (young adult) by Joseph Monninger

Melanie and Miguel in Melanie in Manhattan (middle grade) by Carol Weston

The girls in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (middle grade) by Ann Brashares

Make a valentine that the following characters give to their teacher:

Gooney Bird in Gooney Bird Greene (picture book) By Lois Lowry

Missy and her classmates in Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I Don’t) ( picture book) by Barbara Bottner & illus. by Michael Emberley

Melonhead in Melonhead and the Vegalicious Disaster (middle grade) by Katy Kelly & illus. by Giallian Johnson

Ask readers to think about novels they have read and determine which main character most needs a valentine. Then have them write an essay that explains why. Suggestions from Random House:

Charlie in Flightsend: A Summer of Discovery (middle grade) by Linda Newbery

Roy Morelli in Roy Morelli Steps up to the Plate (middle grade) by Tatcher Heldring

Zitlally in Star in the Forest (middle grade) by Laura Resau

Will Halpin in The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin (YA) by Josh Berk

Vinnie in Not Exactly a Love Story (YA) by Audrey Couloumbis

Andi Alpers in Revolution (YA) by Jennifer Donnelly

Jace Witherspooon in Split (YA) by Swati Avasthi

Karyn in You Against Me (YA) by Jenny Downham

Make a valentine that a character in a novel might send to one or both parents. Suggestions from Random House:

Andres in Freckle Juice (middle grade) by Judy Blume

Karen Newman in It’s Not the End of the World (middle grade) by Judy Blume

The Penderwick sisters in The Penderwicks and The Penderwicks on Gardam Street (middle grade) by Jeanne Birdsall

Amanda in Unraveling (YA) by Michelle Baldine & Lynn Biederman