This Is Not A Valentine by Carter Higgins

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways", wrote Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

This treasure of a book is a bashful young boy's counting of the ways; each gift an expression of his love.

Love knows. Love cares. Love knows because it cares:

"This is not a Valentine, since sparkle and pink glitter are not your favorite colors."

Love is forever:

"This is not a Valentine, since I don’t only like you today. I like you tomorrow, and next Tuesday and last week, too."

Read that sentence again, dear reader. "I like you tomorrow, and next Tuesday and last week, too."

Love makes time timeless.

Flawless word choice, evocative illustrations. The cover says it all. Pay attention to picture of the school bus at the start, and at the end. See the difference?

No, this is not a Valentine. It is an outpouring from the heart, a love story as all love stories should be.