What better way to celebrate Valentine’s day than by reading together? Here’s a sweet list of books for growing readers, from the simplest text to the most complex.

For more hearts day fun, check out these Valentine’s Day Picture Books or Valentine’s Day Chapter Books.

Lots of Hearts by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

This rebus story uses at least one picture instead of a word in every sentence, so even pre-readers can follow along. Despite the simplicity of the text, it manages to deliver a cute story.

Big Heart! A Valentine’s Day Tale by Joan Holub

If you have a reader who wants a minimum of words on every page, this pre-level 1 book will warm his or her heart. Each page has only about four words of text–and yet each is a rhyme. For older readers, this provides an opportunity to read aloud with expression, and discuss how words that sound alike aren’t always spelled alike. (For example, “heart” and “Bart,” “you” and “Drew.”)

Silly Tilly’s Valentine by Lillian Hoban

This cute story of valentine friendship (by the author of the beloved Frances easy readers) uses the classic theme of a forgetful main character. She knows something special is happening on this snowy day–she just can’t seem to see what!

Too Many Valentines by Margaret McNamara

Those who feel just a little bit grumpy about all the Valentine’s day cuteness may appreciate this easy reader with a sweet ending. Neil is sure he doesn’t want any valentines from his class–until it seems he hasn’t received any. This book could also open a discussion about being truthful about feelings.

Petal and Poppy and the Mystery Valentine by Lisa Jahn-Clough

This easy reader uses a graphic novel (or comic book) style for many of the illustrations, making it a good introduction to a format that appeals to many growing readers. The progression of panels and speech bubbles is gently funny as Petal and Poppy try to discover the source of all the mystery valentines they keep finding. (Could it be the penguin in the hot air balloon?)

Valentine Hearts: Holiday Poetry selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins

These short and sweet poems from a variety of authors cover a mix of poetry forms, from simple rhymes to acrostic, and could even be used for memorization. Older readers can also get introduced to the Index of Authors and Titles in the back. With only a dozen poems, it’s easy to practice looking them up. Although this book doesn’t include one, poems are also often indexed by first line to help those who remember the start of the poem, but not necessarily the title.

Katie Woo: No Valentines for Katie by Fran Manushkin

Katie is disappointed to be the only one in class who didn’t receive a valentine message–until she figures out why! This story reinforces a positive message of friendship and encouragement. Katie also enjoys reading the messages on candy hearts, something that beginning readers might like trying too. The back of the book also includes a glossary, discussion questions, writing prompts, and even a recipe for shaping refrigerated breadstick dough into hearts.

Henry and Mudge and Mrs. Hopper’s House by Cynthia Rylant

You can’t go wrong with Henry and Mudge books, and the twenty-second book of their adventures is no exception. The story offers a different take on Valentine’s day, as Henry and his big dog, Mudge, spend time at an interesting neighbor’s house while his parents go to a dance together.

Arthur’s Great Big Valentine by Lillian Hoban

This classic by Lillian Hoban (also the author/illustrator of Silly Tilly’s Valentine, above) offers a message of friendship and reconciliation, but first allows the main character to go through ups and downs and the hurt of falling out with a friend. Hoban didn’t intend this book to be an easy reader–just a story for children–and it shows in the depth of the narrative.

Fluffy’s Valentine’s Day by Kate McMullan

It’s no surprise that an easy reader series from innovative author Kate McMullan (author of such varied titles as garbage truck picture book I Stink and historical fiction My Travels with Capts. Lewis and Clark) would have some creative flare as well. Written from the perspective of the class guinea pig, this book puts Fluffy’s thoughts in bold print, and may even inspire readers to create their own stories using a similar format.

This book contains three Fluffy stories, so they could easily be tackled one at a time for readers who prefer small bites, or devoured in one sitting by more voracious readers.

Readers who appreciate the “class pet” perspective may also enjoy the World According to Humphrey series by Betty Birney as they grow in their reading skills.

It’s Valentine’s Day by Jack Prelutsky

I have a soft spot for almost all Jack Prelutsky’s poems because they’re, well, so silly! His use of language and rhythm is so natural and so joyful. “I Love You More Than Applesauce” is probably the first poem my kids ever independently read aloud. The poems also include relatable experiences such as a boy eating all the chocolates he bought for his mother, and trying to cut a symmetrical paper heart until it just keeps getting smaller and smaller.

Caution: Although most of the poems are funny and sweet, a few use mean words in a spirit of sarcasm. You could either skip these, or use them as a starting point for discussion.

Carlos and Carmen: Too Many Valentines by Kirsten McDonald

This unique series features Spanish words incorporated directly into the story. (A technique linguists call “code switching.”) There is a Spanish to English page in the back of the book, but no translation is offered in the text itself. Although the story isn’t the most innovative, readers who are working on their bilingual skills will appreciate this gentle introduction to using Spanish words in a natural way.