I loved this poem! ( )

Lily doesn’t believe in love. Within her journal she chronicles her intolerance of cutesy Valentines and mocks the idiots who send them. Yes, Lily doesn’t believe in love UNTIL… you’ll have to pick up this Gothic inspired tale, as I’ll not give away it’s wonderful secrets.

So much can be said for this little book: imaginative, expressive, and heartening. The artwork, by Jesse Draper, is fantastic. I can’t wait to send out the Valentines included in the back!

This book may be marketed to the general public, but as a former secondary educator, I can promise this story will be a huge hit with the teen crowd. Guys, if you want to score points with your girl, skip the flower shop and head over to the bookstore.

Finally, a classic for this sorely unrepresented holiday.

Review first published on Reading Rumpus ( )

Cuter than maybe the name would suggest, Sam Beeson's The UnValentine would a make a lovely gift for the closet romantic you've had your eye on. It's happy ending makes it romantic, but it is a reluctant, post-modern romance suitable for those less inclined to flowers, puppies and declaring who they "choo-choo-choose." Illustrated with a haunting beauty by Jesse Draper, The UnValentine is a reminder that there is a Valentine for everyone, even those who don't buy into it. ( )

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 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?

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 you hold dear. ( )