Common Sense Media Review
By Regan McMahon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Valentine's-hating boy finds a friend in funny holiday tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
The grumpy green boy in A CRANKENSTEIN VALENTINE is already in a bad mood when his cheerful mom comes in his room to wish him a happy Valentine's Day and give him a present: Valentine undies covered in red hearts. Then she sends him off to the school bus with an enormous bunch of red roses to dole out to his various teachers. In class he makes a Valentine that reads: "Roses are red. Violets are blue. Valentine's Day stinks. Seriously. P.U." A girl sitting across from him is as grumpy and green as he is, and she's equally unhappy to find herself in a pink present costume for the Valentine's Day school pageant. Their budding friendship is transformative enough to turn the two kids' skin back from Frankenstein green, and the boy goes to sleep that night with a big smile on his face— and wearing his Valentine undies.
Is It Any Good?
This funny Valentine's Day romp brims with kid anger and frustration that feed laughs for the reader. A Crankenstein Valentine shows a cranky boy who's out of step with the mainstream but very in touch with his (negative) feelings, expressed in his go-to response, "YECHHHH!" This perfect read-aloud invites young readers to join him in his hostile reaction each time. The humor in author Samantha Berger's fresh take on the lovey-dovey holiday and Dan Santat's expressive illustrations will appeal to kids of all types. But they also convey the meaningful idea that it's important to find someone who understands how you feel. Even the book's endpapers tell a tale of transformation: The candy hearts in the front of the book bear messages like "Just Leave," "Snarl," "Stay Away," Puke," "Yuck." And the ones at the end of the book say "Cutie Pie," "Be Mine," "Angel," "Awesome," and other loving expressions.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the boy's feelings in A Crankenstein Valentine. What doesn't he like about Valentine's Day?
What's your favorite picture in the book? Which is the funniest one?
Crankenstein is happy to find someone who sees Valentine's Day the was he does. How important is it to have a friend who understands how you feel?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Dan Santat
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Friendship , Holidays
- Character Strengths : Communication , Empathy , Gratitude
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : December 10, 2024
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 40
- Available on : Paperback, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate