Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 1-2. From the Holiday House Readers' series featuring Harry and his younger sister Emily, this book finds the two little cats wondering what they can give their parents for Valentine's Day. Their first ideas attract the wrong sort of attention from their unsuspecting parents, but when a snowstorm comes their way, they find an original way to say "I love you" to their mother and father. In this satisfying story, a well-defined dilemma is developed with humor and solved in a believable, childlike way. Both the text and the ink-and-watercolor illustrations are simple, clear, and engaging. A good choice for reading alone or for reading aloud before Valentine's Day. --Carolyn Phelan
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Harry and Emily, two cats, want to make a special valentine for their parents. Their mother gives the best hugs and their father makes the best pictures, so they want to do something really outstanding-something unique. They try coming up with a special dance, a song, and a dessert, but each idea is rejected. An unexpected snowstorm finally provides the answer-big snow valentines all over the yard. Colorful cartoons portray the loving family first introduced in The Monster in Harry's Backyard (Holiday, 1999). An attractive addition to holiday shelves.-Lisa Smith, Lindenhurst Memorial Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In this story told in four short chapters, kittens Harry and Emily worry about making special valentines for their parents. They explore various ideas until they stumble on the perfect answer during a snow day--a beautiful snow valentine. Simple, warm watercolors accompany this sweet look at a family Valentine's Day celebration. From HORN BOOK Fall 2001, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Ruelle serves up another humorous seasonal tale about that engaging feline duo, Harry and Emily, who learn that the best presents are the ones that come from the heart. The siblings are determined to express their affection for their parents by creating the most unique Valentines gift they can think up. However, when their impromptu Valentines Dance proves too boisterous, their song too cacophonous, and their idea of an apple sauce/peanut butter/marshmallow confection meets with a resounding Yuck from their Mom, the furry pair are fresh out of ideas. A sudden snowfall the day before V-day provides the siblings with a breakand is ultimately a source of inspiration for their gift, as the two surprise their parents with giant snow hearts in the yard. Ruelles tale, overflowing with warmth and goodwill, includes a Mom who constantly provides reaffirming hugs and a devoted Dad who draws creative mementos for his children. Separated into four brief chapters, the simply constructed text is accessible to newly established readers. Ruelles light-hearted drawings add to the cheerfulness. Bright watercolors depicting the duo liberally adorn the pages in an array of sizes, ranging from full-page illustrations to smaller vignettes inserted into the text. A sweetly sentimental, but not syrupy, tale that gets right at the heart of Valentines Day. (Fiction. 5-8)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
