Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and this month’s S-Collection blog includes picture books, juvenile fiction, and young adult fiction that feature love! While the picture books primarily show children witnessing and celebrating the love of the adults in their lives by attending weddings or preparing for new siblings, the books for older readers detail the ups and downs of young love and crushes. Online relationships, coming to terms with one’s sexuality, becoming your most lovable self, and other topics are explored in this diverse collection. The S-Collection has what you need to celebrate Valentine’s Day this February!

Picture Books

Ferry, Beth
Illustrated by: Joseph Kuefler
Caveboy Crush. 2019. Picture Book.
The word “crush” is used literally in this wordplay-filled romp about young love in the prehistoric era. Neander loves Neanne from the moment he sees her, and he decides the best way to impress her is to crush larger and larger objects, such as bouquets, shells, and rocks. Eventually, Neander’s efforts work when he carves her a sculpture that Neanne gets to “crush” on her own.
SE. F4181ca

Love, Jessica
Julián at the Wedding. 2020. Picture Book.
In this sequel to Julián is a Mermaid, also located in the S-Collection, Julián attends an outdoor wedding, oohs and ahs at the brides’ beautiful gowns, and makes friends with the flower girl, Marisol. Playing with Marisol is too much fun, however, and they don’t notice that Marisol’s gown is covered in mud until it is too late! Luckily, Julián knows a thing or two about clothing and dress-up and has an idea on how to make things right. Colorful illustrations and themes of love and acceptance abound in this lighthearted picture book.
Q. SE. L9415juw

Shawn, Christina
Illustrated by: Shahrzad Maydani
And Then Came You: When Families Grow, Love Grows Too. 2025. Picture Book.
The child in this book gets to learn about all the kinds of love that exist in a family in this beautifully illustrated picture book. It was already hard enough for this child to adjust to getting a new stepdad, but now he also has to prepare for the arrival of a baby sibling. Luckily, his parents explain to him that there will always be enough love for him to go around, no matter how many new family members join them.
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Juvenile Fiction

Heart, Lee
Meet Me At Sunset. 2025. Juvenile Fiction.
It’s summertime, and young Julie has a “Love Plan” designed to win over her crush, James. Her perfect summer at the beach is made more difficult, however, when her mom unexpectedly invites her friend’s daughter Sophia into Julie’s life. On top of that, Julie has a new friend, Liam, who is making her reconsider her Love Plan all together. The complexities of young love and friendship are explored in this tween romance.
S. H35152me

Horne, Maggie
Noah Frye Gets Crushed. 2024. Juvenile Fiction.
Noah wants to fit in at school this year, and one of her strategies involves choosing a boy to have a crush on so she can better relate to the other girls. She eventually selects Archie, who likes dogs and volunteering just like she does. However, as much as Noah tries, she never develops a crush on Archie. Meanwhile, Noah grows closer and closer to her new friend Jessa and begins to wonder if the perfect crush for Noah to have might not be Archie, after all.
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Moon, Sarah
Family Week. 2025. Juvenile Fiction.
Avery, Lina, Mac, and Milo have been friends since they were young. Every summer, they and their parents meet up at the Provincetown Family Week at their queer family celebration, and this summer, each teen is dealing with issues of their own. Twins Milo and Lina are dealing with their changing relationship to one another following Milo’s invitation to a boarding school, Mac is struggling with his recent discovery that he has a learning disorder, and Avery is wondering what her relationship with Lina will be like this year after Lina sent her a love letter. Issues of self-acceptance and changing families are explored in this honest look at young love and friendships.
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Young Adult Fiction

Geron, Eric
Leo Martino Steals Back His Heart. 2025. Young Adult Fiction.
Leo Martino has never had a boyfriend, despite having many promising crushes. Deciding that he must be the issue, Leo sets out to improve himself and become the perfect boyfriend by tracking down all of his past crushes to figure out where he went wrong. As his “Boyfriend Material Checklist” grows longer and longer, Leo begins to wonder if he truly wants to be with someone who wants him to change who he is and learns an important lesson about loving himself first.
S. G3196le

Jaigirdar, Adiba
The Dos and Donuts of Love. 2023. Young Adult Fiction.
Shireen has been bummed following her breakup with Christina, but things start looking up when she lands a spot on her favorite baking reality show. Unfortunately for Shireen, however, Christina has been cast in the same show, and now they have to work together to get beyond the first round. Further complicating things is Shireen’s budding crush on another competitor, Niamh, and the pressure of keeping her family donut business afloat. Readers will love rooting for the upbeat and talented Shireen in this romcom.
S. J1991do

Stringfield, Ravynn K
Love in 280 Characters or Less. 2025. Young Adult Fiction.
Sydney is going through a lot of changes in her life: It’s her freshman year of college, she’s moved away from her best friend and her family, and she’s navigating romantic relationships for the first time. Sydney turns to blogging to have an outlet for her thoughts and eventually catches the attention of a fellow social media user. At the same time, she starts falling for fellow comic book lover Xavier, another student at her school. On top of it all, Sydney has to decide whether she’ll pursue a law degree, as her mother wants, or her passion for fashion. Love and relationships are explored with care in this mixed-media novel, which is told through blogs, social media posts, and more.
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