The House of Love

Though money is tight, a large Italian family finds a way to make February 14th festive in this tenderhearted tale set in the Appalachian Mountains. At the center of the sincere, densely worded book is the aptly named Mia Valentina Amore; with most of the family away for the day, it’s up to pale-skinned Mia and her mother to bedazzle their old house for a Valentine’s Day party. First they clean, wiping around the buttons that cover the windows’ holes and pulling down the parlor’s dingy wallpaper to reveal another layer with images of blooming roses. Next they decorate, framing custom valentines. When the family comes together for pasta dinner, it’s a joyous affair for all but Mia, who fears her own valentine has been forgotten; luckily, bedtime presents the child with a satisfying surprise. Trigiani’s sentimental prose is matched by Bates’s nostalgic, rose-hued watercolor, gouache, and pencil illustrations; the pairing makes for a heartfelt and sensitive holiday homage. Ages 3–7. (Dec.)