A Valentine’s Day Story

Posted by & filed under ALL, LOVE VIOLET, Picture Books.

Framed original cover art for Love, Violet. (c) Charlene Chua 2022

💜 Happy Valentine’s Day! 💜
Yes, that is original art by Charlene Chua, Illustrator from Love, Violet!
My heart has been breaking all week, but today, I want share a sweet story.
A little friend of ours was born the same weekend as Love, Violet. In late 2023, she and her parent helped my spouse set up our new home. The second she saw these watercolors…
Our young friend discovers old friends from her book Love, Violet, as her aunty holds the framed original art. 2023. Toddler with light skin in a light blue hat and print pajamas points, ready to touch the glass of a framed piece of art a light wood frame, held by a smiling woman with light skin and dark, wavy hair, gray shirt and black pants. She is sitting beside half-filled book cases.

Our young friend discovers old friends from her book Love, Violet, as her aunty holds the framed original art. 2023

she lit up and reached for them, babble-speaking to them like old friends. And they were. Her parents had been reading her this story from the beginning.

Baby born the same weeked as Love, Violet looks at the final spread where Mira and Violet are running through the snow together, holding hands. The baby has light skin, a red outfit and white socks.

Baby born the same weeked as Love, Violet looks at the final spread where Mira and Violet are running through the snow together, holding hands.

She left her little finger prints on the glass like her own story about this story. 💜
I love that this child is surrounded by love, by people who love and accept her for who she is. No matter what. And her room and library basket is always filled with piles of books that show her the marvels of the world and its diverse, related people. These books are showing her how to love and respect everyone she meets. They are showing her that we are all family. No matter what.
That’s a beautiful thing.
For all the ugliness right now, this story, this remarkable human, all the humans around her working to spread love and welcome to all–are so beautiful.
💜 Happy Love Day 💜
Close up of the original final spread of Love, Violet. Mira and Violet run into the future, smiling and holding hands. In a woodsy snowscape, the girls' hands are outspread. Mira has dark skin, thick, dark curly hair, a violet cap and coat. Violet has light skin, short, asymmetrical red hair, white cowgirl hat, purple coat. They are looking at each other.

Close up of the original final spread of Love, Violet. Mira and Violet run over “snowy drifts,” smiling and holding hands. (c) Charlene Chua 2022