VALENTINE SHY GIRL receives VALENTINE postcard

Postcard books are a wonderful way for us to share our treasure trove of images. Our postcard books on Easter, Halloween and Christmas have proven to be very popular, and so we turn to one of our favorite holidays--Valentine's Day. The valentine, as a graphic token to be exchanged by lovers on February 14, became very popular in the middle of the 19th century, and continued to increase in popularity and variety as the century advanced. In the first years of the 20th century there was an explosion in popularity of the picture postcard, and it was natural that postcards would be created to send on every holiday. Tens of thousands of valentine designs were printed as Valentines. We have selected thirty favorites from our collection, and reproduced them here in such a way that they can either be removed and mailed or kept intact and the book given entire.

For Valentine’s Day 1986, Ted Kooser wrote “Pocket Poem” and sent the tender, thoughtful composition to fifty women friends, starting an annual tradition that would persist for the next twenty-one years. Printed on postcards, the poems were mailed to a list of recipients that eventually grew to more than 2, 500 women all over the United States. Valentines collects Kooser’s twenty-two years of Valentine’s Day poems, complemented with illustrations by Robert Hanna and a new poem appearing for the first time. Kooser’s valentine poems encompass all the facets of the holiday: the traditional hearts and candy, the brilliance and purity of love, the quiet beauty of friendship, and the bittersweetness of longing. Some of the poems use the word valentine, others do not, but there is never any doubt as to the purpose of Kooser’s creations. (20080309)

For Valentine’s Day 1986, Ted Kooser wrote “Pocket Poem” and sent the tender, thoughtful composition to fifty women friends, starting an annual tradition that would persist for the next twenty-one years. Printed on postcards, the poems were mailed to a list of recipients that eventually grew to more than 2, 500 women all over the United States. Valentines collects Kooser’s twenty-two years of Valentine’s Day poems, complemented with illustrations by Robert Hanna and a new poem appearing for the first time. Kooser’s valentine poems encompass all the facets of the holiday: the traditional hearts and candy, the brilliance and purity of love, the quiet beauty of friendship, and the bittersweetness of longing. Some of the poems use the word valentine, others do not, but there is never any doubt as to the purpose of Kooser’s creations. (20080309)

How did Valentine's Day, one of our most popular holidays, begin? It started in ancient Rome when a kind physician named Valentine took an interest in a young blind girl. With his healing skill and his deep faith he restored her sight. What we now call Valentine's Day began when he sent the little girl a secret message, which she received after the Christian martyr was executed. For this tale rich in sentiment, master illustrator Robert Sabuda has created exquisite paper mosaics to suggest early Christian art that resonates with both subtlety and power.

What a perfect way to say I love you, I’d like to “love” you, I hate you, I hate you unless you love me, or any of the other mixed emotions you may have on Valentine’s Day. With 45 hysterical tear-out postcards in this installment, there’s sure to be at least a dozen that capture your feelings about your sweetie, sweetie-to-be, or no-good ex-sweetie, on the most commercial and romantic day of the year. 

Had his ship finally come in?For Christopher Trask, it was beginning to look that way. Though his professional life might be a shambles, his Valentine's Day family reunion on the high seas was looking most promising--especially once he met fellow passenger Larkin Hayes. The beautiful "it" girl was there to keep an eye on her often remarried father. But Christopher couldn't keep his eyes off her....Larkin was suspicious of Christopher from the start--and her father falling for his aunt was certainly complicating matters! Still, a cruise ship wasn't real life...and Christopher could kiss her senseless. So what was the harm in a little holiday fun? Surely her common sense would return once she was back on dry land....

What a sweet Biscuit! It's Valentine's Day and Biscuit and the little girl have a lot of special deliveries to make. But when Biscuit smells a treat that silly puppy just can't seem to help himself. How will the little girl show Biscuit how much she loves him? Pull back the big flaps in this heartwarming story to find out!

How did Valentine's Day, one of our most popular holidays, begin? It started in ancient Rome when a kind physician named Valentine took an interest in a young blind girl. With his healing skill and his deep faith he restored her sight. What we now call Valentine's Day began when he sent the little girl a secret message, which she received after the Christian martyr was executed. For this tale rich in sentiment, master illustrator Robert Sabuda has created exquisite paper mosaics to suggest early Christian art that resonates with both subtlety and power.

What a mess! It's Valentine's Day in Miss Sue's classroom, but there's been a terrible mix-up. Everyone received the wrong valentine! Over-sized flaps lift to reveal coded Valentine's Day messages in each card. Kids will love decoding the messages to figure out who should have received each valentine!

Love Finds You in Valentine, Nebraska What can a California girl do with a few dusty acres of land in rural Nebraska? So Kennedy Blaine wonders after she inherits a ranch in the small, western-style town of Valentine, Nebraska. As Kennedy makes arrangements to sell the property, she finds herself drawn to the ranch and to its attractive manager, Derek Sterling. She decides to spend the summer in her ancestral home and reconnect with family members. But soon Kennedy is subjected to harassment by someone who clearly wants her to leave Valentine. Depending on God’s protection and Derek’s assistance, she sets out to discover who is behind the offenses. But when her search reveals painful details about her family and raises questions about Derek’s own past, will Kennedy still want to know the truth? Love Finds You™ is a series of full-length romance novels that give readers a peek into the flavor of local life across the United States. The novels are uniquely named after actual American towns with quirky, interesting names that inspire romance and are just plain fun! This means that each fictional story draws on the compelling history or unique character of a real place. Our fresh, original love stories will feature everything from romance kindled in small towns, to old loves lost and found on the high plains, to new loves discovered at exciting vacation getaways.