Sam Beeson

There are two ways to approach this little volume. The first is as a sumptuous, long-form Valentine-card-with-character. As such, it succeeds beautifully.

The other option would be to approach this as an actual book. In which case, you get a cloying and patronizing tale of a modern-day Harriet the Spy, documenting in her notebook her disdain for her schoolmates' Valentine's Day dither. However, she's merely a bitter wallflower! For when she receives her own Valentine---from a disaffected, show more pseudo-goth boy---she becomes a Valentine's Day Booster, and we close with a shot of her and her beau running hand-in-hand together through a field of...

...dead grass. (I have to admit, I do like the illustrator's sense of humor.)

Approach it as a Valentine's Card. And if you're going to give it to someone who's actually disaffected with the day, make sure to graffiti it first. show less

Next Valentine's Day, you have to buy The UnValentine for your favorite child. I've had students like Lily, the girl who doesn't believe in Valentine's Day, who doesn't believe in love. She scratches in her journal during recess, writing all in verse.

The illustrations are magnificent and alone are worthy of our purchase. The book is written in rhyme, is humorous, and includes Valentines in the back for a child to tear out and share.

Did Lily change her mind? Did she find love? My favorite show more page. It cracked me up:

Lily —
I can stand in the rain all day without shoes.
I don't need no holiday with cupids.
When I want passion, I don't buy no mango-colored drink.
I want stories — the kind your eyes
tell me
. . . every day
. . . every way.

Ray
p.s. Do you like black roses? show less

There’s a saying I’m sure you’re familiar with, “Good things come in small packages.”

It’s a perfect description for this book.

The story is short, written as a poem, with pictures of each item this man sent to his enemy.

For the twelve days of Christmas he sent what seemed to be junk.

What his enemy did with the junk is something we wish we would have done.

Once I finished this book, I wanted to be kinder. To turn the other cheek. To let go of petty anger and grudges. To be better.

It show more only took me a few minutes to read A Rare Nativity.

The message stayed with me much longer. show less

This tiny book of verse, written by Sam Beeson, with illustrations by Jesse Draper, follows the story of Lily, a young girl who despises Valentine's Day. It is charming almost in spite of itself. Featuring beautiful paintings done with a dark sense of humor (the best part), the story is delightfully tongue-in-cheek. The book also has perforated cards that you can tear out to give to your own "UnValentine." This book would make the perfect little Valentine's Day gift for that cynical someone show more you hold dear. show less