One of the things I love about the month of February is that it is filled with opportunities for sharing books.  Valentine's Day offers a great excuse to cuddle up with a favorite book, and of course Black History Month and President's Day let us sneak in some very important history lessons, too.  In our house, we skip the chocolate (we're still eating Christmas cookies!) and give books instead.

With that in mind, here are a few favorite selections for sharing with kids:

Picture Books

Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse! written by Laura Numeroff, illustrated Felicia Bond (Balzer + Bray, 2009).  The beloved Mouse of If You Give a Mouse a series is excited to be making special Valentine cards and spending the day with his friends...all of whom you'll recognize from the series.

Lilly's Chocolate Heart written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes (Scholastic, 2003).  It's almost bedtime on Valentine's, and Lilly wants to find the perfect place to save her last treat before she goes to bed.  This is a story about how we decide to save the things we cherish.

Love, Splat written and illustrated by Rob Scotton (HarperCollins, 2009).  Splat the Cat has saved his most special Valentine for someone in his class he really likes...Kitten.  But every time he gets near her, she pokes him and pulls his tail.  He's confused.  She doesn't seem to like him.  Then his classmate Spike gives Kitten the biggest Valentine ever. 

Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann, illustrated by Elizabeth Kann (HarperCollins, 2006).  Pinkalicious loves everything pink...especially cupcakes.  So what happens when you eat too many pink cupcakes?  You turn pink!  Uh-oh, now what?

George Washington and the General's Dog (Step into Reading) by Frank Murphy, illustrated by Richard Walz (Random House, 2009).  General George Washington finds the dog of the British general.  Does he approach the dog's owner (who is the enemy) or keep the dog?  George loved pets so much that this was a very hard decision.  The story shows how he handled this situation and also how he became our first president.  This is an easy reader that offers historical trivia for new readers.

President's Day by Anne Rockwell, illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell (HarperCollins, 2008).  Mrs. Madoff's class is putting on a play and everyone has a part.  Our narrator is George Washington, and some of her classmates are Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt.  Other students have jobs building and walking on stage with the props the presidents talk about.  This picture book identifies presidents and their roles in history as a class project.

Don't Know Much About the Presidents by Kenneth C. Davis, illustrated by Pedro Martin (HarperCollins, 2009).  This easy-to-read book offers lots of information about US presidents.  Each page is dedicated to one president, with their name, years of service, a cartoon drawing, and lots of interesting information.  You'll learn about their nicknames and hobbies, and see the significant events that happened during their presidential terms.  You can also compare them, too.  Who was the tallest?  Who was the youngest?  Who had a goose for a pet?  A lion cub?  A donkey?  This is a fact-filled book about each of the US presidents.

Boycott Blues:  How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney (Amistad, 2008).  A hound, strumming his guitar, tells the story of Rosa Parks, the Montgomery (Alabama) bus boycott, and the end of Jim Crow.  The story is written in poetic form and reads like a blues song.  This is a picture book story that uses verse to describe the history of the Civil Rights Movement.

Easy Readers/Short Chapter Books

Abe Lincoln's Hat (Step Into Reading) by Martha Brenner, illustrated by Donald Cook (Random House, 2009).  Abraham Lincoln loved his tall black hat.  Do you know why?  He kept very important papers in it.  This story talks about why he did that, along with the story of how he became President.  This is an easy-reader story that offers some historical trivia for kids learning to read.

Curiosity by Gerald Allen Wunsch, illustrated by Irene Joslin (AuthorHouse, 2003).  With their parents traveling in Europe, fifth-graders Ginger Wanamaker and Irene Fong spend a month with Ginger's grandparents.  In their search for interesting things to do, they discover that the house was part of the Underground Railroad.  The story not only sets out historical events, but is designed to generate kids' interest in doing more research, too.

Chapter Books

Red Thunder: Secrets, Spies, and Scoundrels at Yorktown by John P. Hunter, illustrated by Barbara Leonard Gibson (Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 2007).  Nate Chandler, a 14-year-old boy, lived on the family farm near the York River.  In May 1781, the British launched a major campaign at Yorktown to end the six-year War for Independence.  Bands of British Cavalry roamed the area ruthlessly, attacking and killing innocent citizens.  Nate and his parents were left for dead, their cattle taken, and the farm burned to the ground.  He was determined to avenge the attack but felt helpless.  A young militia officer recognized Nate's ability to "think on his feet" and paired him with James, a former slave with a photographic memory.  They became an espionage team that provided valuable intelligence that General Washington and General Lafayette used to defeat the British and end the Revolyionary War.  This is a historical novel that tells the story of two boys at the Battle of Yorktown.

Seven Miles to Freedom: The Robert Smalls Story by Janet Halfmann, illustrated by Duane Smith (Lee & Low Books, 2008).  Robert Smalls was born and raised in the slave quarters on the McKee plantation in Beaufort, South Carolina.  He served as a house servant and then, at age 12, Mr. McKee sent him to work in Charleston.  He worked at a local hotel, but he fell in love with the waterfront.  He convinced Mr. McKee to let him change "careers" and he started working on the docks.  Before long, he was an apprentice wheelman, the title for "colored" boat pilots in the South.  Ultimately, his skill as boat handler and knowledge of harbor practices offered the means of escape.  Mr. Smalls, his family, the crew, and their families waited patiently for their opportunity.  In May 1862, that moment came and he did not hesitate.  He captained the Planter and headed north.  This picture book tells the story of a slave who escaped during the Civil War.

Child Out of Place by Patricia Q. Wall, illustrated by Debby Ronquist (Fall Rose Books, 2007).  Matty and her family are slaves who serve Mr. Joshua Warren of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  In 1802, when Matty was five, Mr. Warren agreed to grant his slaves their personal freedom.  Though receiving their freedom papers technically freed them, American society was not ready to treat former slaves as equals.  In fact, everyday life for black people, free or slave, was very dangerous.  Matty is sharing her life's story with her children and grandchildren to help them understand and appreciate their heritage.  This historical fiction novel takes place in 19th Century New Hampshire, and follows the life of a newly-freed African slave.