A Stickler Valentine - Perfect Picture Book Friday #PPBF

Maria Marshall
1 minute ago
4 min read

I know, I know, we haven't gotten through Christmas yet, but I honestly think the core message in the book applies equally well to Christmas, Hanukkah, and any other "gift giving" holiday. Besides, this is when it was released.

If you've loved the previous Stickler books, you are going to adore this one. Lane Smith has created another PB treasure, this time for Valentine's Day. This quirky, charming, and beguiling creature offers his friends and readers a wonderfully humorous and empathetic friendship story.

Book cover - the creature Stickler's head sticks out of a flower stem outlined heart, with the heads of a cat, porcupine, crow and beaver are featured in half circles at each corner.

A Stickler Valentine

Author/Illustrator: Lane Smith

Publisher: Random House Studio (December 2, 2025)

Ages: 4 - 8

Themes:

Valentine's, emotions, humor, kindness, and friendship

Synopsis:

Stickler, the woodland creature from the mind of award-winning author-illustrator Lane Smith, returns to celebrate Valentine’s Day by giving his friends his favorite gift: sticks. A humorous and witty friendship story that encourages kindness and empathy.

Stickler, a one-of-a-kind creature made of sticks, is giving his friends Valentine’s Day sticks, but none of them are interested in Valentine’s sticks. Crow says he prefers fine, shiny things, Beaver likes receiving funny cards, and Wolf doesn’t care for Valentine’s sticks – they’re too small to chew on! When Stickler tries to offer Cat a Valentine stick, she does not want one. “Hmm…” he wonders, “Maybe Valentine’s Day is not about what Stickler loves, but what others love.”

Stickler has an idea: he will give Cat a gift he knows she wants.

Lane Smith, the award-winning illustrator of Giraffe Problems and The Stinky Cheese Man, presents a story about showing friendship and being thoughtful with humor and wit. Featuring the return of the irresistible Stickler (first seen in A Gift for Nana), this lighthearted picture book celebrates the ways we show kindness and love in gestures big or small.

Opening Lines:

Did you know . . .

way, way out in the Sticks, there’s a creature called Stickler?

Did you know Stickler is one of a kind?

What I Liked about this book:

Lane Smith's adorable creature, Stickler, is back. This sweet, unusual creature has sticks and branches for hair, giant ears, a pointed nose, and stick arms and legs and lives way out in the woods. I love the contrast in this illustration of the softly flowering pink trees and the gentle pond against this interesting, angular creature, whose reflection mirrors four eyes, not the "ordinary" one seen on Stickler himself. Definitely could raise some interesting questions and discussions with kids. (Why is the reflection different? Is the reflection the other side of his face? How do reflections work?)

Internal spread - a creature, with sick arms and legs and head covered in sticks and branches, stands on a rock surround by trees and gazes at its reflection.

Text & Image © Lane Smith, 2025.

This time, Stickler is excited for Valentine's Day. He can't wait to give out a Valentine Stick to a friend. But there are no other Sticklers around. Undeterred, Stickler smiles sweetly and tries to give a stick to the next best thing.

Internal image - on the right, Stickler tries to give a Valentine's stick to porcupine.

Text & Image © Lane Smith, 2025.

Unfortunately, the wide-eyed porcupine is unimpressed, responding, “No thanks. I still have the one you gave me last year.” Stickler has no better luck with Crow or Beaver. However, a light touch of humor reduces the sting of their rejections When he offers Wolf a stick, well . . .

Internal image - on the left Stickler offers a cat a Valentine's stick. On the right, the cat the longest, center branch out of Stickler head, causing Stickler to have four startled eyes on either side of his head.

his honestly sweet and beguiling smile doesn't help Stickler. Instead, Wolf plucks the tallest stick off the center of Stickler's head, his shock is palpable. Suddenly he has four startled eyes on both sides of his face. His attempt at kindness was repaid with injury. It will be fun to hear what kids think about that earlier image now.

Painted in oils, gesso, and cold wax on canvas, Lane Smith's limited palette of brown, black. and pink beautifully highlights Stickler and his emotional journey. As a final straw, a miserable cat sitting in a tree doesn't even want a stick offered by a smiling Stickler. This last rejection forces a bit of reflection on what cat said last year, the very essence of friendship, and Valentine's day. In a gently depicted "dark moment of the soul," Stickler tries to work out what would make Cat happy.

The ending is touching, full of stunning cameo images with twisted branch designs, hearts, leaves, and flowers, funny faces, and the best gift a friend could give on a gorgeous turn-the-book full vertical spread. Written with a gentle, warm mix of second-person address and straight narration, it's a beautiful, gentle, and witty addition to Valentine's Day books.

Resources:

try some of these 70 Valentine's Day crafts, a gift like Stickler's, or some stick crafts for Valentine's gifts.

using clay, sticks, or other materials create your own one-of-a kind unique creature(s.) What would your creature do for Valentine's Day? Write a short story or draw a cartoon of your creature's Valentine's Day experience.

we know what Cat, and perhaps Crow, wanted for Valentines. What do you imagine Porcupine, Beaver, and Wolf would have rather had for Valentine's Day? Why do you think this? Do the illustrations give any clues?

If you missed my interview with Ashley Belote on Monday, find it (here).

This post is part of a series of blog posts by authors and KidLit bloggers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays. For more picture book suggestions and resources see Susanna Leonard Hill's Perfect Picture Books.