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Books by Age » 3-4 » This is NOT a Valentine, by Carter Higgins

This is NOT a Valentine, by Carter Higgins

By Lauren Bercuson ·  Published: Jan 29, 2018 ·  Modified: Jan 13, 2023 ·  This post may contain affiliate links

If you want a fabulous Valentine’s Day book that is sweet and not saccharine, This is NOT a Valentine, by Carter Higgins, is an absolute must! Check out our review!

The book This is Not a Valentine, by Carter Higgins, leaning on a vase of pink tulips.
Table of Contents:
  1. This is NOT a Valentine, by Carter Higgins, helped me appreciate Valentine’s Day
  2. This is NOT a Valentine is a tender story about first crushes
  3. Love shines through on each page of This is NOT a Valentine
  4. Frequently Asked Questions

This is NOT a Valentine, by Carter Higgins, helped me appreciate Valentine’s Day

Want me to be flat-out honest with you?

I’ve always hated Valentine’s Day.

I hated walking around school as a teenager, with lanky legs and frizzy hair, and a mouth full of braces, while the so-called “pretty” girls were practically human flower shops, complete with pink and red heart balloons blowing in the air atop bouquets of roses and carnations.

I’ve always hated that there’s a holiday forcing us to say I love you, when it really should be said to those we care about every day. But now, thanks to Carter Higgins and Lucy Ruth Cummins’ fabulous book, This is Not a Valentine, I kinda fell in love with it.

Because this book… oh man. This book is everything.

RELATED: We have more fabulous Valentine’s Day Books for Kids, so be sure to check them out!

You can purchase This is NOT a Valentine at these links!

Happily Ever Elephants participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.

This is NOT a Valentine is a tender story about first crushes

This is NOT a Valentine is such a tender story of a little boy navigating his first crush. Remember those days of sweaty hands and marbles in your mouth and figuring out the best way to show someone how much your care?

It’s not about the trite things kids believe they need to give someone to show their love.

Instead, This is NOT a Valentine reminds us that it’s the precious, unique things children gift (or do!) that become magical and meaningful.

An interior spread from This is NOT a Valentine, by Carter Higgins.

And, oh, the denial! That sweet, innocent denial, when kids try so hard to vocalize how they don’t feel — but their actions tell the entire world a wholly different story!

Love shines through on each page of This is NOT a Valentine

In This is NOT a Valentine, a young boy lists a multitude of reasons why his gifts to his friend at school are not valentines. After all, he does not gift her buckets of roses, nothing is pink, and he isn’t offering her fancy jewelry.

An interior spread from This is NOT a Valentine, by Carter Higgins.

Yet, the magic of This is NOT a Valentine is in what the boy notices about his crush – what he subsequently gives to her and why these non-valentines are perfect.

His gift, after all, is not a valentine because pink and glitter aren’t her favorite colors. Red things work, though, and they especially work for superheroes. Since the girl is his favorite superhero, the boy gives her a red cape.

An interior spread from This is NOT a Valentine, by Carter Higgins.

Though he also gives her a ring, the gift is certainly not a valentine because it’s not at all fancy. It’s not a real jewel or gem and instead came straight out of the gumball machine. But, the ring does match her shoelaces, and if it doesn’t fit she can wear it on a string.

And so it continues, with this list of “not” valentines, until we come to the conclusion, where he proclaims his gift is certainly not a valentine because he doesn’t only like the girl today, but tomorrow and next week as well.

An interior spread from This is NOT a Valentine, by Carter Higgins.

RELATED: For more terrific picture books about love, click the link!

This is NOT a Valentine is a heartfelt book that is incredibly accessible to children. It illustrates that love is thoughtful and kind. It is specific to each person within a particular relationship, and it is never generic.

The story illustrates the power of listening and observation, and it shows kids that love is composed of those tiny actions we take to show someone we care about how much they brighten our world. Love is patient, love is reflective. Love is an act of unique expression.

This is NOT a Valentine is such a sweet exploration of the childlike ways kids may show their admiration for one another – and the thing that makes it extraordinarily special is the beautiful manner in which it coveys how meaningful it is to give others the little things we know will make them the happiest.

This is Not a Valentine is picture book perfection in every sense of the word.  In short? It exudes love and tenderness on ever page. Two trunks up for this gem!

You can purchase This is NOT a Valentine at these links!

RELATED: We’ve got more than 100 children’s book lists for you on Happily Ever Elephants, so be sure to check them out!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a good gift for Valentine’s Day?

Absolutely! Books are always a good idea, and because Worm Loves Worm is about love, it makes a perfect Valentine’s Day read. It’s also an affirming, lovely book to read all year round!

Do you have recommendations for love-themed books that aren’t Valentine’s Day themed?

Absolutely! For a full list of picture books about love, click here!

Is a book a good Valentine’s Day gift?

Books are ALWAYS a good idea, and sharing sweet books about love with your kids on Valentine’s Day is so special. I vote yes, over and over again!

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« Previous PostOne Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams Garcia
Next Post »Molly & Mae: A Friendship Journey, by Danny Parker

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Hi! I’m Lauren. I’m a boy mom, former attorney, current elementary school librarian, and moderator of book clubs for kids around the country. My goal is to make storytime with your children both magical and meaningful. Welcome! LEARN MORE 

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