Overview
It’s only a week until Valentine’s Day, and Lily wants to make the perfect heart-shaped valentine for Mommy. But every time she cuts out a heart, it’s either too pointy, too round, or too skinny. As the days go by, Lily tries again and again, and when Valentine’s Day finally arrives, she has a heart for each day of the week! Which one will be the perfect valentine surprise for Mommy?
Young readers will enjoy this sweet, simple story that introduces the days of the week, as well as the special tradition of creating handmade valentines.
Editorials
Children's Literature -
Author Corinne Demas and illustrator R.W. Alley create a heart-warming Valentine Surprise. Lily wants to make her mother a paper heart for Valentine's Day but each effort goes wrong. Monday's heart is too pointy, Tuesday's is too square and so on. When the holiday arrives, Lily gives her mother all the cut-outs with diffidence because "none of the hearts is perfect." Says Mommy: "'That doesn't matter. The heart inside you is."' Preschoolers will relate to Lily's frustration over the gap between her artistic vision and her skills and appreciate the loving message at the end. The pencil-and-watercolor illustrations engage with expressive characters, bright colors and two playful cats "helping" Lily on each page. Reviewer: Mary QuattlebaumSchool Library Journal
PreS-Gr 1- With a week until Valentine's Day, Lily tries to cut out a perfect heart shape for her mother. It doesn't turn out quite right, so she hides it under her bed. Each day she tries again, and the pile of rejected valentines grows: they are too pointy or too round, square, curvy, skinny, fat, or lopsided. Finally, Lily gets an idea and links her creations together (they appear on a foldout) to present to Mommy for Valentine's Day. "'But none of the hearts is perfect,' said Lily. 'The heart inside you is,'" replies her mother. The language is simple enough for beginning readers, and the story will also work well for group sharing. The typeface changes to reflect the adjective relating to each valentine. Cartoon illustrations in pencil, watercolor, and gouache show Lily in a frenzy of activity. Her face is expressive enough for readers to follow her progress without the text. The experience of having an art project not turn out as planned is universal, and readers will relate to the protagonist's plight. A good addition to holiday collections.-Kelly Roth, Bartow County Public Library, Cartersville, GA
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