I have a friend who has made a tradition of giving books to her children on Valentine’s Day. (No, she’s not the one named Stinky Face.) She tries to find some kind of love themed book to give to each of her children. I love this idea, and as I thought about my favorite love themed children’s book, particularly from the perspective of a mom, my hands-down favorite is “I Love You Stinky Face” by Lisa McCourt.
This is a great story about a child who keeps asking his mother “what if” questions to test how much she really loves him. Questions like, “What if I were an alligator with big, sharp teeth?” or “What if I were a green alien from Mars and I ate bugs instead of peanut butter?” Of course the mother answers in perfect, funny, unconditionally loving fashion
Some “I love you books” overdose on sentiment and end up as illustrated greeting cards that c0uld only really appeal to adults. Not this one! It is both tender and silly, and I just love it! Even more importantly, my boys do as well. And don’t think of it only as a book for family story time. I read this to my class when I taught first grade, and it quickly became a top-requested read-aloud!
So whether you’re looking for a loving book for Valentine’s Day, or just a fun read, don’t pass this one up! (And as a bonus, it’s currently in some of the Februrary Scholastic book orders! Who doesn’t love a bargain?)
Not Just Cute 