Carter Higgins - This Is Not a Valentine

For Alex. C.H. For my always-Valentine, Jon. L.R.C. Text copyright 2017 by Carter Higgins.
Illustrations copyright 2017 by Lucy Ruth Cummins.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Names: Higgins, Carter, author. | Cummins, Lucy Ruth, illustrator.
Title: This is not a valentine / by Carter Higgins ; illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins.
Description: San Francisco, California : Chronicle Books LLC, [2017] |
Summary: A valentine is all about sweetness and gooey love, but this book is about all
the things you might give someone that are not exactly gifts, but that show that you care for them and for what they thinkbut is not that a kind of love?
Identifiers: LCCN 2016054935 | ISBN 9781452153742 (hc) | ISBN 978-1-4521-5395-7 (epub2) | ISBN 978-1-4521-6915-6 (epub3) | ISBN 978-1-4521-6916-3 (epib) | ISBN 978-1-4521-6914-9 (kindle)
Subjects: LCSH: Interpersonal relationsJuvenile fiction. | ValentinesJuvenile fiction. | CYAC: LoveFiction. | ValentinesFiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.1.H545 Th 2017 | DDC [E]dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016054935 Design by Kristine Brogno.
Typeset in New Century Schoolbook.
The illustrations in this book were rendered in brush marker, gouache, graphite, colored pencil, crayon, ink, and charcoal. This is not a valentine, since those come with buckets of roses and bushels of tulips that smell like grannies fresh out of the garden. All Ive got are these and I already blew the wishes off most of them, for a rocket ship or the last cinnamon bun or moon boots and a mega-blaster. This is not a valentine, since jewels and gems belong in treasure chests or museums or on ladies who sing at the opera. And the fanciest ones dont come out of some machine at a grocery store anyway. And the fanciest ones dont come out of some machine at a grocery store anyway.

But this one matches your best shoelaces. If it wont get past your knuckles you could wear it on a string. This is not a valentine, since sparkle and pink and glitter are not your favorite colors. You like the brown in the mud puddle and fish-food orange and that purpley-blue on your nose when its a mittens kind of day. But red is pretty good for superheroes, and you are my favorite one. This one is scraps and rips and drippy glue that dried funny and the green marker was the only one that worked. Besides, the teacher made us make these. This is not a valentine, since youre up there at the front of the line and I am the caboose. Maybe one day well both be in the middle. Maybe one day well both be in the middle.

I hope its a Wednesday. Maybe a Monday. Or any of those other days, really. Until then, this w h o o s h. This is not a valentine, since the cooties tumble out when you open one of those. This is not a valentine, since sugared hearts and suckers give you cavities and bellyaches. But I found this at the bottom of my lunchbox. But I found this at the bottom of my lunchbox.

You can have the jelly side, cause I like peanut butter best. Maybe Ill have some left over. Maybe. This is not a valentine, since its got sharper edges than dainty old lace.