Best Valentine Books for 5 Year Olds (2026): 5 Picks Compared

Finding the best valentine books for 5 year olds means picking a story that is short enough for one sitting and sweet enough to reread on February 13 and 14. We compared five picture books by listed reading age, grade level, page count and what each description says, so you can match the book to the five year old in front of you.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Roses Are Pink by deGroat	9.7/10	Buy
2	Day It Rained Hearts by Bond	9.7/10	Buy
3	My Little Unicorn by Rossner	9.7/10	Buy
4	Harvey the Heart by Bexley	9.7/10	Buy
5	Who Loves You by Seuss	9.6/10	Buy

1

Roses Are Pink by deGroat

Diane deGroat·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A Valentine's read-aloud where Gilbert the opossum writes two not-so-nice valentines and makes amends, in 32 pages.

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Pros

• Reading age of 4 to 7 years lands right on age five
• The description says it prompts discussions on kindness and forgiveness
• Grade level Preschool to 3 matches a five year old reader

Cons

• Reading age is marked as from customers rather than stated by the publisher
• Gilbert's prank storyline may need a talk about kindness, which the listing itself raises
• 1997 reprint, so the edition is the oldest here

2

Day It Rained Hearts by Bond

Felicia Bond·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A sweet story where Cornelia Augusta catches hearts raining from the sky and turns them into valentines, in 36 pages.

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Pros

• Reading age of 2 to 6 years covers age five
• The listing pairs it with Valentine's Day crafts for a read-and-make afternoon
• Grade level Preschool to 3 matches a five year old reader

Cons

• Reading age is marked as from customers rather than stated by the publisher
• The gentle tone may bore a child who wants sillier stories
• 2006 reprint, an older edition

3

My Little Unicorn by Rossner

Rose Rossner·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A rhyming picture book telling a little unicorn she is loved, with sweet rhymes and enchanting illustrations, in 40 pages.

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Pros

• Reading age of 3 to 6 years covers age five
• Sweet rhymes and enchanting illustrations, per the listing
• Grade level Preschool to 3 matches a five year old reader

Cons

• Reading age is marked as from customers rather than stated by the publisher
• The description leans into unicorn sparkle, which not every child likes
• 40 pages is the longest here for a wiggly five year old

4

Harvey the Heart by Bexley

Jane Bexley·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A rhyming read-aloud about Harvey, a little heart with too many farts who learns about friendship, in 37 pages.

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Pros

• Reading age of 3+ years includes age five
• A rhyming read-aloud, easy for a parent to perform
• Full color, professional illustrations, per the listing

Cons

• Reading age is marked as from customers rather than stated by the publisher
• The toot humor will not suit every household
• No grade level is stated

5

Who Loves You by Seuss

Dr. Seuss·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A small hardcover Seuss gift book with a mirror at the end and foil trim, saying I love you with beloved characters.

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Pros

• Reading age of 2+ years includes age five
• A mirror at the end and foil trim make it a keepsake
• Illustrations feature the Cat in the Hat, the Grinch and more Seuss characters

Cons

• Grade level 2 to 3 sits above a five year old's usual grade
• It is a keepsake gift book, not a storybook for nightly reading
• No story arc, just rhymed keepsake verses

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More picks to compare

• Just a Little Love by MayerShared reading for ages 4 to 8 about love fixing problems.Check on Amazon
• Yuckiest, Stinkiest Valentine by FerberFunny Valentine's chase for ages 3 to 8, per the listing.Check on Amazon
• Nate the Great and the Mushy ValentineDetective mystery for beginning readers, per the listing.Check on Amazon
• Valentine Love and Find by CroweSearch and find activities for ages 3 to 5.Check on Amazon
• Stitch's Valentine by McCannaStep 2 reader for ages 4 to 6.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 18 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for a five year old reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or grade level. All five listings give a reading age, marked by Amazon as from customers, and four of the five give a grade level, so every pick carries a stated age signal. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best valentine books for 5 year olds

Read the reading age and the grade level together

The two numbers on a listing come from different places. Reading age here is marked as from customers, while grade level is listed without that mark. Roses Are Pink gives reading age 4 to 7 with grade Preschool to 3, and Day It Rained Hearts gives 2 to 6 with the same grade band, so both sit squarely at age five. For more choices by age, browse all picture books.

Match the tone to the child

A five year old who giggles at everything will love the rhyming toot humor of Harvey the Heart, which the listing calls appropriate for all ages who do not mind silly toot humor. A child who likes gentle stories will prefer Day It Rained Hearts or I Love You, My Little Unicorn, both built on kindness and friendship. The Seuss gift book with its mirror and foil trim works best as a keepsake rather than a story night pick.

Check the length against the bedtime window

All five run 32 to 40 pages, so each finishes in one read-aloud sitting. The unicorn book is the longest at 40 pages, and the Harvey and Seuss books are 37 and 32 pages. If the child wants a Valentine’s story for a younger sibling too, see best valentine books for 3 year olds.

Before you buy

• Check the reading age: these range from 3+ years to 4 to 7 years, all marked as from customers.
• Match the grade level to the child: four of the five list Preschool to 3, which covers a five year old.
• The Seuss book is a small hardcover gift book with a mirror at the end, not a standard storybook format.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good Valentine’s book for a 5 year old?

Roses Are Pink gives reading age 4 to 7 and grade Preschool to 3, so it lands right on age five. Day It Rained Hearts and the unicorn book also list grade Preschool to 3.

Is Harvey the Heart appropriate for a 5 year old?

The listing gives a reading age of 3+ years and calls it appropriate for all ages who do not mind silly toot humor. Preview it first if the household prefers gentler stories.

Which of these books is a gift book rather than a storybook?

Dr. Seuss’s Who Loves You is a small hardcover gift book with a mirror at the end and foil trim on the cover. The other four are storybooks meant for read-aloud.

Still deciding? Our top pickRoses Are Pink by deGroat

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Related lists

See every picture book list and all kids and teens lists.

More lists: valentine books for 4 year olds, valentine books for 3 year olds and xmas books for 5 year olds.