Downloadable Books for Valentine’s Day

Love is in the air with these e-books for kids and adults. Download with your Cheshire Library card!

FOR KIDS:

Franklin’s Valentines by Paulette Bourgeois. It’s Valentine’s Day and Franklin can’t wait to give his friends the cards he has made. But when he gets to school, he discovers that they’re missing.

Elmo Loves You by Sarah Albee. Elmo loves lots of things. But what does Elmo love most of all? Read along with this charming book to find out!

Dora Loves Boots by Alison Inches. It’s Valentine’s Day! Dora and Boots can’t wait to spend it together. They pick a favorite meeting place and set out with Map’s help. Will they find each other on this special day?

Rotten Ralph’s Rotten Romance by Jack Gantos. Sarah is very excited to take Ralph to Petunia’s Valentine’s Day Party. But Ralph will do almost anything to avoid the party and drippy Valentine kisses!

February Friend by Ron Roy. Bradley is passing out his class’s valentines, but one of them has no name on it. Inside, the card tells the class to look in the closet. When they open the closet door, the kids find a rabbit named Douglas in a cage! What mysterious “friend” left him there? And why?

FOR ADULTS:

Royal Valentine by Jenn McKinlay. Molly Graham stumbles across a very handsome British professor seeking refuge in her office during the Museum of Literature’s Valentine’s Day gala. But just when things start to get interesting, he disappears.

Brava, Valentine by Adriana Trigiani.When Valentine Roncalli discovers a long lost shoe design, a family secret unravels that helps her take control of the company from a conniving relative, but first she seeks the counsel, and more, of her ex-fiancee, Bret Fitzpatrick, to help re-boot the business while she pursues a hot romance with a handsome Italian from her past.

Death of a Valentine by M.C. Beaton. Announcing his engagement to associate Josie McSween, police sergeant and once-confirmed bachelor Hamish Macbeth struggles with prenuptial jitters while investigating the murder of a woman whose increasingly complicated case introduced him to his fiancée.

Sweet, Thoughtful Valentine by Alexander McCall Smith. When philosopher and amateur sleuth Isabel Dalhousie runs into an old classmate facing marital and financial troubles, the secret becomes more and more difficult for Isabel to keep. Thankfully, Isabel’s devoted husband, Jamie, is there to help her navigate her competing moral obligations.

Be My Valentine by Debbie Macomber. Dianne Williams, tired of matchmaking efforts on her behalf, enlists the help of a stranger to accompany her to a Valentine dinner; and, romance novelist Bailey York tries to find the perfect model for her new fictional hero.

Anti-Valentines Day Viewing

As Valentines Day looms closer many are feeling the pressure to plan the perfect date, find the perfect gift, or find a way to express their feelings towards that special someone. Others are firmly enjoying their single hood. Some are wishing they could find their perfect match or grieving the loss of someone. And then there are those of us, regardless of relationship status, that are just not into grand displays and all the mushy stuff that comes with the holidays. Regardless, as wonderful as this day can be for some lucky folks, for others it can be a depressing nightmare, or just another day. No matter what camp you find yourself in, finding a book to read or movie to watch that is not all sunshine and roses can be hard, particularly this time of year.valday1

Here are some movies that can be enjoyed by anyone who does not need or want a sappy love story for Valentine’s day but would rather enjoy something distinctly anti-Valentine’s Day.

Ruby Sparks
Struggling with writer’s block and a lackluster love life, p9165539_p_v8_abonce-famous novelist Calvin creates a beautiful fictitious character named Ruby who inspires him. But not only does this bring his work to life–it also brings Ruby to life–literally! Face-to-face with an actual relationship with his once-virtual girlfriend, Calvin must now decide whether to pen this love story or let it write itself.

Happy-Go-Lucky
Poppy is a life-loving and irrepressibly cheerful primary valdayhglschool teacher. She is thirty years old, single, and infinitely optimistic and accepting. She lives with her best friend and flatmate Zoe in London. She is tested by a repressed driving instructor with anger problems, and, in turn, she decides to test him. She has exciting flamenco lessons, an encounter with a homeless man, an argument with her pregnant sister, and a love-affair with the social worker guiding one of her students.

John Tucker Must Dievaldayjohn
When the class-overachiever, the head cheerleader, and the vegan lover discover they’re all dating the same guy – namely the star basketball player John Tucker – the girls decide to recruit a bashful new girl named Kate to become the ideal girl to break Tucker’s bad boy heart. But as Kate uses the girls’ combined wiles to lure Tucker, his interest gives her a social standing she’s never had before. But the intoxicating experience may cost her a chance at honest love with another boy.

Lars and the Real Girlvaldaylars
Lars is a sweet but shy guy who has a hard time talking with his family, coworkers, and neighbors. Although his family fears the worst when Lars brings home Bianca, a life-sized companion doll whom he thinks is a real girlfriend, a doctor encourages them to play along with him so that he can work through his delusions. The whole community rallies to his support, and Lars begins to deal with all of his emotions. He even begins to develop feelings for Margo, an attractive co-worker, in what becomes a hilariously unique love triangle.valday500

(500) Days of Summer
For Tom, it was love at first sight when Summer Finn, the new administrative assistant, walked into the greeting card company where he worked.  Soon, Tom knows that Summer is the woman with whom he wants to spend the rest of his life. Although Summer doesn’t believe in relationships or boyfriends, Tom and Summer become more than just friends.

How to Be Single
A young woman searches for love in New York City in this romantic comedy based on the novel by Liz Tuccill.

Looking for more movies to binge watch this holiday or to just enjoy without all the sappy love? Here are some more distinctly anti-Valentine’s Day movies that you might enjoy; Muriel’s WeddingThe Break-up, Fried Green TomatoesSwimfan, Baby Mama, Under the Tuscan SunThe Shining, High FidelityShame , Young Adam , Think Like a Man, Blue Valentine , Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Mystic Pizza , Jeff Who Lives at HomeMy Bloody Valentine, and Thelma & Louise.