Customer Reviews

Ballad of Valentine

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

How can I possibly be the first person to review this book? It is absolutely delightful. I sang it to every class in our school last year, to their delight and mine. I was disappointed to realize that I'd probably only be sharing it with the kindergartners this year. But... many who knew it wanted a repeat! Both the verses and the art are clever, and funny. There are enough details to find something new every time. Though I have used Amazon for years, this is the first book review I've ever written. More people should know about this book, because it's a keeper. (Remember if you sing it that the chorus only appears the first time; you'll have to remember it, and when to sing it.)

We check out many books from the library, and after two to four weeks, we return them. Our two girls were almost in tears as we returned this one. So, being the soft-hearted-can't-spoil-'em-with-books dad that I am, I ordered this one as a keeper. It's so much fun to sing this book to my toddler and preschooler and have them fill in words that I pause at!

Yes, the pictures are cute and make the girls laught too. Greatest of all, this my mother (Grandma to the kids) loves singing to them as well. Any book that can please toddlers, preschoolers, parents and grandparents deserves an easy *****!

Bottom-line: Don't borrow from the library--buy this book!

This is a clever and witty yarn that my boy begs me to read again, and again. And yes, I do sing it, even though I can't carry a tune very well. Tricia Tusa's watercolor illustrations are loosely rendered with lots of movement. She uses economy to express the characters and landscapes, and one might describe them as messy. Her palette is soft with light shades of brown, green and blue with accents of pinky orange for emphasis. Although she's thrifty with the details, the faces are expressive, and alive.

I like this 32-page story, especially when compared to the typical Valentine fare; however, I think some of the vocabulary is overreaching. For example, three-year old children aren't typically familiar with Morse code, cyclones, or quicksand. On the other hand, the lyrical text, and singing attributes warrant extra points. The artwork is messy, but interesting, and the fact that it's now available in paperback throws it into the 5-star category. Fun read for the young and old alike, 2 to 102.

My husband and I are pretty voracious readers with a large personal library; imagine our chagrin when our daughter not only wasn't interested in books but would run away if we read aloud. Our now 21-month-old toddler at last values books but only for the illustrations in so much as she can point to stuff and we can call out what it is. "Sheep...tree...farmer..." etc. The Ballad of Valentine is the first book she has EVER sat through while I sing it to her. We finally found a winner! I don't know if it's the fun tune or the quirky illustrations, or both, but she's hooked and uses sign language to ask me again and again "more book, more book."

I do sing all the words, btw. (One reviewer mentioned having to know when to insert the chorus between the verses and that's the first I thought about it. The whole book works for me when I sing the same 4-line tune, which I assume is the chorus, because I don't know how the rest of the song goes.) I realize that the vocabulary is either a bit out-of-date or beyond a child's grasp at this point but what are books for if not to introduce new concepts and vocabulary? I don't simplify my speech for my toddler and I wouldn't want her books to be dumbed-down, either.

I am absolutely taken with the illustrations and logged onto Amazon today to look up Tricia Tusa's other work. The pages show the part of the story that's not specifically spelled out in the lyrics thereby enriching the book with extra layers of goodness. One reviewer described Tusa as "thrifty with the details" and I find just the opposite. The drawings are full of tiny, precious and incidental details like bonnets on chickens, booties on sheep, an art easel with a painting-in-progress in the background, and a homing pigeon that carries a purse and has an umbrella on his head. The fanciful style of the illustrations (petticoats, water pumps, bow ties) fully embrace the tone of the song.

And one more thing: I defy you to sing this ballad without a little twang sneaking in!

6 week update: I have had to extend my library check-out on this book because six weeks later my daughter still signs for her book and points to this one specifically. I can now sing the whole thing without consulting the text! <3

I found this book in the Library while planning a Valentine Party for fourth graders. I needed a book that was brief enough for a quick activity, but challenging enough to hold the attention of 10 year olds. The familiar rhyme can be sung or read, but the vocabulary and concepts are tricky enough to engage older elementary students & spark further conversation.

Kids who are familiar with the world of Little House on the Prairie will recognize the modes of transportation and communication (horseback, railroad, smoke signals, pigeon, postal letter). In an age of instant messaging, the tenacity of the protagonist to deliver his Valentine message is charming and impressive. Kids will learn both ingenuity and perseverance from his example. And in the end, it's the woman who calmly bakes a treat and manages to traverse the landscape between them.

This book is a great example of how a well-done picture book can charm any audience.

I just received this book and plan to share it in a Sunday school class as well as my daughter's preschool class. The tune is already going through my head eventhough I haven't read it to children yet. I am very happy with this book and am eager to share/sing it!

I bought this book for a 3rd grader for a little Valentine's Day gift and it was great. The story is cute and she already knew the song, so she was reading/singing right along. Very catchy with funny little verses! We had a good time reading it together. Highly recommend!

We have about five books in our Valentine's Day collection, and this is the most requested one, probably because I sing the text like a fool and it makes my kids laugh.

I have the same concerns about this story as the "History of Art Geek" reviewer, but my kids don't seem to care one little bit. I think the pictures look a little messy, and I'm sure some of the vocabulary goes over their sweet little heads, but that doesn't seem to make it any less enjoyable for them (or me).

I got this book for my 2.5 yr old based on a review I read and it IS as good as the review said. My daughter loves the pictures and the song. She loves it so much she brings it to daycare to share with her friends and teacher.