Looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day book to read with your children or to give as a gift. I offer you 20 Valentine’s Day books, ranging from sweet, sassy and downright outrageous.

Little Bear’s Valentine (Maurice Sendak’s Little Bear): This new tale — written by Little Bear’s creator, Else Holmelund Minarik, and with full-color illustrations by Heather Green — will bring readers into the charmed world of Little Bear, complete with good friends Hen, Emily, Owl, and Duck, and Little Bear’s loving family.

Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink: Gilbert writes not-so-nice Valentine poems for two rude classmates and signs their names to the cards. Since Margaret and Lewis both receive two Valentines from each other -one good and one bad – and none from Gilbert, his ploy is discovered and all the students ostracize him. The dilemma is resolved when all three apologize and Gilbert writes them new poems and shares his homemade cookies.

Ruby Valentine Saves the Day (Carolrhoda Picture Books): It’s Valentine’s Day and Ruby won’t let anything spoil the celebration! In this follow-up to the popular Love, Ruby Valentine, Ruby’s favorite day of the year rolls around again, and she and Lovebird work feverishly to plan the perfect party for everyone in Heartland. But when Valentine’s Day arrives, an unexpected snowstorm threatens to ruin all of Ruby’s plans.

The Day It Rained Hearts: The Day It Rained Hearts follows young Cornelia Augusta as she makes creative use of a most unusual downpour.

A Giant Crush: As Valentine’s Day gets closer, Jackson has a hard time keeping his crush on Cami a secret. His chocolate hearts end up next to her lunch and he can’t hide his red face when the huge Valentine he made for her lands on her desk. Cooper thinks Jackson should just talk to her, but Jackson’s afraid she doesn’t like him.

Fancy Nancy: Heart to Heart: Mystery is in the air when Nancy receives a valentine from a secret someone. Join Nancy as she follows the clues to find out who it is—all in her trademark fabulous style, of course. Gorgeous stickers included!

Love, Splat (Splat the Cat): It’s Valentine’s Day and Splat has a special valentine for a certain someone in his class. Her name is Kitten, and Splat likes her even more than fish sticks and ice cream. But Kitten doesn’t seem to like him at all. Will Splat’s heartfelt valentine win Kitten’s paw in the end?

The Ballad of Valentine: Love really is blind in this hilarious and pitch-perfect Valentine’s Day picture book, set to the familiar rhythms of “Clementine,” one of our most beloved American folk songs. Alison Jackson, author of the Thanksgiving favorite I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie, cleverly replaces the heroine of “Clementine” with a dreamy girl named Valentine who keeps missing what’s right in front of her nose: the love letters being sent her way by a smitten admirer.

Hedgehug: A Sharp Lesson in Love: Love is patient, and love is kind, but for Hedgehug love is prickly, too. Join this lonely hedgehog as he searches for someone to accept his heart .

If You’ll Be My Valentine: If You’ll Be My Valentine sweetly celebrates the true meaning of Valentine’s Day. Charming prose and captivatingly sweet art create an adorable tableau of loving wishes from one little boy to all the members of his family.

The Story of Valentine’s Day: Everybody knows what Valentine’s Day means: Red and pink hearts, flowers and chocolates, and cards and letters with sweet sayings written on them. But why? Who was St. Valentine, anyway?

10 Valentine Friends: It’s Valentine’s Day and the 10 little neighbors in this book are busy making Valentines for their closest friends. Will everyone get a Valentine at the big Valentine’s Day party? You can count on it! With its fun counting element, bouncy text and adorable illustrations, this book is the perfect gift for young lovebugs.

Love and Kisses: This little love story proves that a kiss is not just a kiss. It is a bountiful fount of surprises, spreading love far and wide and growing sweeter as it goes! What better message to give someone you love than one of such joy and happy affection?

Plant a Kiss: Little Miss planted a kiss. One small act of love blooms into something bigger and more dazzling than Little Miss could have ever imagined in this epic journey about life, kindness, and giving.

Pinkalicious: Pink of Hearts: Pinkalicious loves Valentine’s Day! Everyone in her class is assigned to make an extra-special Valentine’s Day card for one person in the class. Pinkalicious creates a magnificently pinkerrific card. Will the valentine that she gets in return measure up?

Splat the Cat: Funny Valentine: It’s Valentine’s Day, and Splat and his friends want to give Mrs. Wimpydimple something special. Lift the flaps to find out what—and reveal hidden holiday surprises!

Where Is Baby’s Valentine?: A Lift-the-Flap Book: Baby made a valentine for Mommy. Where could it be? It’s a shiny, glittering delight as you lift the sturdy flaps to help Baby find her very special valentine.

Counting Kisses: How many kisses does it take to say goodnight?

• Amelia Bedelia’s First Valentine
• The Night Before Valentine’s Day
• The Yuckiest, Stinkiest, Best Valentine Ever
•  Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch