Bear of My Heart

This is not a Valentine's Book, per se, but it fits the holiday beautifully.  Written by Joanne Ryder and illustrated by Margie Moore, it's a poetry picture book recommended for ages 3 - 6.  It works well for reading aloud to a story time group.

"There are so many bears in the world, dear, but there's no other one that will do.  You are the bear of my heart, dear, and I am the one who loves you.

"I have so many stories to tell you.  I know wonderful places to see. And because we can see them together, they'll be nicer for you and for me.

"Let's race in the sun and be happy. Let's splash in the stream and drip dry. Let's roll down a hill and be silly. Let's lie and watch clouds drifting by.

"Let's sit nose to nose and share secrets. Let's wish on a star, eyes shut tight. Let's whisper our dreams in the darkness. Let's snuggle together at night.

"If you need me, I'll be there beside you.  If you're lonely, I'll hug you awhile. If you're lost, I will be there to guide you.  If you're sad, I won't quit till you smile.

"Paw in paw, we will greet every morning.  Paw in paw, we will meet every day. You are the bear of my heart, dear, and nothing can take that away.

"No matter how big you may grow, dear, or whether we're near or apart, I will love you forever and ever, for YOU are the bear of my heart."

Kindness for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is getting a bad wrap these days. Joe Dellosa's opinion sums up what I've been hearing:
"... Valentine's Day [has] become a crassly artificial holiday that seeks to commodify our emotions and homogenize the way we express our love as a means to boost corporate profits, while fomenting awkward, hurtful feelings among couples and mopey misery among singles."  That's one way to look at it.

I like Valentine's Day because it's an opportunity to have some fun thinking of others. The tiniest remembrance -- a card, an email, a piece of candy, a single flower -- can brighten someones day.

The children's picture book Love and Kisses by Sarah Wilson, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, reminds me of the good that results from an act of kindness. When a little girl shares a kiss, it travels from friend to friend and eventually, surprisingly, comes back to her.

The Alexandria (MN) Kiwanis and Golden K Clubs are sponsoring their annual Random Act of Kindness Week, February 13 - 19, in an effort to bring awareness to the power of kindness.  Alexandria Kiwanis Club President Diann Drew says, "A simple gesture, a kind word, or a random act of kindness can go a long way in making a community a stronger, better place."