The Yuckiest, Stinkiest, Best Valentine Ever

( 1 )

Overview

Even boys will fall in love with this valentine!

Leon has a crush. A let-her-cut-in-line-at-the-water-fountain kind of crush. And he's got the perfect valentine. But this valentine has no intention of getting caught up in any romantic conspiracy. "Love is yucky, kid! Valentine's Day is all about CANDY!" the card yells at Leon, before leaping out the window and running away, leaving Leon to chase it across town, collecting interested kids along ...

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More About This Book

Overview

Even boys will fall in love with this valentine!

Leon has a crush. A let-her-cut-in-line-at-the-water-fountain kind of crush. And he's got the perfect valentine. But this valentine has no intention of getting caught up in any romantic conspiracy. "Love is yucky, kid! Valentine's Day is all about CANDY!" the card yells at Leon, before leaping out the window and running away, leaving Leon to chase it across town, collecting interested kids along the way.

Here is a hilarious take on the holiday that boys love to hate, the most complex holiday of them all. Saying "I love you" has never been so yucky or so sweet.

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Editorial Reviews

The New York Times Book Review - Pamela Paul
…a boisterous, just-sweet-enough comic caper.
Publishers Weekly
Floppy-haired Leon is wrestling with his heart—literally. When he creates a valentine heart for his crush, the wide-eyed card takes off running through Arnold’s comic book–style spreads. “You give me to Zoey Maloney and we’ll be the laughingstock of the whole school!” insists the freaked-out valentine. Kids on the playground offer their perspectives on love, ranging from “Eew!” to concern: “But does Zoey Maloney love you back?” Ferber sticks to traditional gender dynamics (the boys respond to news of Leon’s crush with disgust, while the girls swoon), but she also navigates the palm-sweating sweetness of first love with tenderness, humorously echoed by Arnold’s nervy graphics. Ages 3–up. Agent: Caryn Wiseman, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (Dec.)
The New York Times
"...a boisterous, just-sweet-enough comic caper."
Children's Literature - Carrie Hane Hung
Leon makes a very special valentine for his crush, Zoey Maloney, but the valentine has a mind and life of its own. The valentine tells Leon not to tell Zoey that he loves her. In a gingerbread man-like fashion, the valentine dashes out of the house with Leon running after it. During the chase, Leon and the valentine come across different groups of kids who share their opinions about Leon's declaration of love. The younger boys believe that love is yucky and the younger girls think it is sweet. As the valentine runs into older kids, the opinion's about love shift. The ending is interesting when the valentine runs into Zoey herself. The story has a comic strip-like format with cartoon cells. Most of the single cells fill a page. There are narration captions and speech bubbles. The pictures are brightly colored with bold outlines and readers may recognize Arnold's style of illustration from his popular "Fly Guy" series. Whether love is gross or divine, this story is has an amusing ending. Reviewer: Carrie Hane Hung
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2—Young Leon is hopelessly in love with Zoey Maloney. But the valentine he makes for her comes to life and declares, "Love is yucky. Stinky too. It will turn your brain to goo!" and takes off. As Leon chases it through town, followed by other kids who are eager to see how "this whole mess" turns out, the valentine delivers a compelling argument as to why Leon should not share his love for Zoey. It's not until the valentine meets Zoey's valentine that the cynic abruptly changes his mind and says, "Love is yummy. Love's divine. Won't you be my valentine?" Arnold's full-page, boldly colored, digitally created cartoonlike illustrations are dynamic, bringing the chase to life. With its creative story line and upbeat writing, this picture book is a must for holiday collections.—Mary Cass Mabbot, Indianapolis Public Library
Kirkus Reviews
Get ready to enjoy a laugh-out-loud, fast-paced adventure involving a secret crush, a runaway valentine with an attitude and lots of candy. Leon has a huge crush on Zoey Maloney. He cuts out a big red heart and reveals his feelings. All seems well until the valentine--depicted with wide-eyed disbelief and an oversized mouth--declares, "PUL-EESE! You can't tell [her] you love her! / …It's mushy and gross and just plain YUCKY!" Leon thinks Valentine's Day is all about love; the heart is sure it "is all about candy." So, he leaps out the window to escape having to proclaim Leon's affections. What ensues is a hilarious chase that progressively gathers more and more people--boys, girls and teens--who all weigh in on whether the valentine should go to the girl of Leon's dreams. Ferber gets the character development and dialogue just right. The heart is silly but a tough talker, and in contrast, Leon is earnest and determined. The urgent chase is propelled by quick descriptions that make readers want to turn the pages even faster. Arnold, illustrator of the Fly Guy series, digitally creates varied spreads that look like a super-size version of a Sunday comic strip. Bright with saturated colors, the focal point is always the spunky red heart that conveys an impressive range of funny facial expressions for such a little thing. All too soon, a spectacular crash in the candy store yields romantic results for both the valentine and Leon. Get this now--it's better than candy. (Picture book. 4-8)
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780803735057
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
  • Publication date: 12/6/2012
  • Pages: 32
  • Sales rank: 198,853
  • Age range: 4 - 8 Years
  • Product dimensions: 8.60 (w) x 11.00 (h) x 0.40 (d)

Meet the Author

Brenda Ferber lives in Deerfield, Illinois.

Tedd Arnold lives in Elmira, New York.

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