ONE, TWO, THREE VALENTINE’S DAY

Frequent collaborators Modesitt and Spowart (Little Bunny’s Easter Surprise, 1999, etc.) team up for another holiday offering. In this counting book, Mister Mouse goes door to door delivering Valentine’s Day gifts to friends. The action unfolds in rhyme: “Mister Mouse with a big red box / Goes up to the door and gives two knocks. / One little frog with a pink bow tie / Opens the door and gets a pink pie.” As he makes the rounds, Mister Mouse encounters an ever-increasing number of gift recipients, from “two round pigs” to “nine brown bunnies.” Spowart’s illustrations, which look like colored pencils on paper, are cheerful and bright and she anthropomorphizes the creatures in a cartoon-like way. The animals are clearly arranged so they’re easy to count; numbered red hearts appear opposite for emphasis. Modesitt’s generous mouse saves the best for last: he goes home to give gifts to his “ten little mice.” While the rhyme scheme quickly wears thin, teachers who celebrate Valentine’s Day in their classrooms may have fun offering this as a treat to their students. Back matter teaches how to make a hanging Valentine’s Day heart. (Picture book. 3-7)