Top Valentine’s books to gift your children

Valentine’s Day is a lovely moment to slow down, cuddle up and celebrate the people your child adores. Whether you’re looking for a cosy bedtime story, a mindful activity to share, or a hands-on craft that spreads a little kindness, these Usborne picks make thoughtful, screen-free gifts for every age. You’ll find them all (and more) in our Valentine’s Day collection.

Gentle first gifts for babies and toddlers (0-3)

If you’re gifting for a very young child, keep it simple, tactile and soothing. Mummies Love Hugs and Bears Love Hugs are warm, reassuring reads that wrap little listeners in love at story time. The rhythmic text and snuggly animal artwork make them perfect for sleepy cuddles, and for helping babies and toddlers feel secure as they explore big feelings like love and comfort.

Stickers for preschoolers (3-5)

Preschoolers love having something “of their own” to do, and Valentine’s is the perfect excuse to practise kindness in tiny, joyful ways. Little First Stickers Love and Kindness invites children to build heart-warming scenes by sharing toys, helping friends or brightening someone’s day with stickers they can reuse again and again. Pair it with Things to Make and Do for People You Love and you’ve got easy, supervised crafts for grandparents, teachers and best friends: think hand-made cards, little love tokens and cheerful decorations that proudly say, “I made this for you!”

Looking ahead, Little First Stickers Love and Friendship arrives 1 January 2026, bringing more gentle prompts for talking about caring, sharing and what friendship looks like in everyday play. One to pop on your wish list if your child is sticker-obsessed.

Mess-free magic painting that feels like… magic (5-8)

For a gift that’s as calming as it is creative, you can’t beat water-reveal art. Love and Hugs Magic Painting and Love, Hearts and Flowers Magic Painting Book turn a cup of water and a brush into blooming bouquets, sweet animals and sparkling hearts, plus there’s no separate paints required! Younger artists will adore First Magic Painting: I Love You, Bunny. It's specially designed for smaller hands and guaranteed to earn the biggest “ta-da!” when the colours appear.

Stories that celebrate love, friendship and hopeful endings (5-9)

If your child prefers a story to an activity book, try a feel-good tale with a gentle message. Stories of Love and Friendship gathers short reads about looking out for one another, saying sorry and sticking together, perfect for reading aloud or independent readers building confidence. Stories of Love and Kindness continue those themes with uplifting plots that spark great conversations after lights out.

For something a touch more magical, Forgotten Fairy Tales of Hope and Happiness dusts off surprising, lesser-known stories where courage, care and kindness win the day. It’s a wonderful way to show that love can look like bravery, generosity and doing the right thing.

Big feelings, little questions (3-6)

Children are naturally curious about feelings. Very First Questions and Answers: What is love? offers calm, age-appropriate answers to the questions children actually ask, with sturdy flaps and friendly illustrations that invite discussion. It’s a lovely conversation starter before nursery, at bedtime or whenever big feelings pop up.

Hug-worthy fun for laugh-out-loud readers (3-6)

Sometimes the best gift is a big giggle. Monsters Love Hugs piles on the silliness as smoochy, squishy monsters make a (slightly chaotic) case for cuddle time. It’s a riot to read aloud and a playful reminder that affection can be loud, bouncy and joyfully messy.

A Valentine’s book gift is more than a present, it’s time together, a craft to share, a question to explore. Browse the full range and find your child’s perfect pick in our Valentine’s Day collection.