My Favorite Valentine's Day Storytimes

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I just had 22 four year olds in here and I read one of my favorite Valentine's Day stories: Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch, by Eileen Spinelli.

This worked in nicely with my theme of Valentine's Day and Colors. Mr. Hatch's life is grey, grey, grey until he receives a large, heart-shaped box of chocolates from a "secret admirer." It's only after his life becomes full of color and friends that he discovers the delivery was a mistake and the box was not meant for him, that - "What do you think happens to his life?" I asked. "It goes all grey-ie again!" one kid piped up.

I have an empty heart-shaped box I use with the following poem:

Mother's Chocolate Valentine

I bought a box of chcolate hearts,
a present for my mother,
they looked so good I tasted one,
and then I tried another.

They both were so delicious
that I ate another four,
and then another couple,
and then half a dozen more.

I couldn't seem to stop myself,
I nibbled on and on,
before I knew what happened
all the chcolate hearts were gone.

I felt a little guilty,
I was stuffed down to my socks.
I ate my mother's valentine ...
I hope she likes the box!

They also laughed at Ferdinand Fox's wacky over-reactions in The Best Valentine in the World, by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat.

As you can see, Sharmat and illustrator Lilian Obligado are not confining themselves to typical Valentine's Day colors. In fact, they are using Miss Marf's favorite color: Purple!
For flannelboards I had some multi-colored decorated hearts to go with Tania K. Cowling's poem:

Valentines, valentines, how many do you see?
Valentines, valentines, as pretty as can be.
I have red ones, orange ones, yellow ones, too.
I have green ones, purple ones, and some that are blue.
A rainbow of valentines, as you can see,
A rainbow of valentines for you and me.

And "The Little Cockroach Martina" from the Judy Sierra flannelboard book.

I started off with "If You Love Me and You Know It" - blow me a kiss, give me a hug, say "I love you!" and they were sent off with green and purple hearts to remind them of Sharmat's story.