February’s Valentine Observances: Giving Books, Loving Libraries, and Raising Readers

Valentine’s Day often makes us think about flowers, chocolates, and cards.

But if you’re anything like me, your heart leans a little more toward books, quiet moments, and shared stories.

So this week, instead of focusing on grand gestures, I want to talk with you about three gentle, meaningful observances that fall right in the heart of February:

📚 Giving books.

📚 Loving libraries.

📚 And reading with children.

None of them require perfection.

None of them require spending a fortune.

They’re simply small ways of saying, “Stories matter. And so do the people we share them with.”

Let’s look at each one together.

There’s something deeply beautiful about giving someone a book.

It says, “I thought about you.”

It says, “I think you’ll love this.”

It says, “I want to share this world with you.”

International Book Giving Day reminds us that stories are meant to travel—from one heart to another.

You don’t need a fancy edition or a big budget.

What matters is the thought behind it.

Some gentle ways to take part:

The magic isn’t in the price tag.

It’s in the connection.

When you give a book, you’re giving time, imagination, and possibility.

And that lasts far longer than candy ever will.

Libraries have always felt like safe places to me.

Quiet.

Welcoming.

Full of promise.

No matter who you are, when you walk into a library, you’re invited in.

Libraries are more than buildings. They are community anchors. Learning centers. Creative shelters.

And often, lifelines.

Ways to honor Library Lovers Day:

If you have a home library, this is also a beautiful day to appreciate it.

Every shelf you’ve built tells the story of who you’ve been—and who you’re becoming as a reader.

Reading aloud is one of the greatest gifts an adult can give a child.

Not just because it builds vocabulary.

But because it builds memories.

You don’t have to be a parent to participate in this day.

You just have to care.

Some gentle ways to join in:

When children hear stories, they learn:

📚 That books are friends.

📚 That words have power.

📚 That someone is giving them time.

And that matters more than we realize.