A Crakenstein Valentine

A Crankenstein Valentine
By Samantha Berger
Illustrated by Dan Santat
Little, Brown and Company, 2014. Picture Book

Crankenstein is a boy who hates Valentine’s Day and everything that it entails—such as eating heart-shaped sandwiches, writing gushy valentines, and wearing heart undies in the school play. Luckily, his best friend feels exactly the same way.

The cover made me pick up the book even though the holiday has come and gone, and I’m glad it caught my eye. The perfect combination of Santat’s illustrations and Berger’s text makes this humorous picture book one of my favorites for Valentine’s Day and any day.

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