Even Cynics Can Find Love with Vicky and her Valentine

Why Vicky finds a Valentine is for the child in all of us.

I’m a cynic.

Who Knew? The kitties must balance out the birds in this post.

What happens when a cynic reads a children’s book about a bird and a Valentine?

This is a representation for my brain. I know love will not really make the world explode (except in a good way?)

Even cynics can find their Valentine, just like Vicky.

I’ve rambled on in the past about how love is not just a romantic concept. Once, I even wrote a mediocre essay about the concept of romantic love on Helouise and Abbalard for a history class. (Yes, I wrote it hours before it was due, but no, that does not necessarily mean I was procrastinating.) I know some of my former professors read my blog, I’m not sure how many of them, but if that particular professor is out there – I apologize only for my editorial sloppiness (and I get why I got a B-). I still learned something from an exercise in banality: that is, writing an academic essay in an undergrad degree.

What I learned may have had nothing to do with history, but everything to do with learning how to express myself. It seems to be a common lesson I find I have to re-learn and re-teach myself every once in a while. Vicky Finds a Valentine was a perfect way to do that today.

One of the reasons I loved Vicky finds a Valentine was because it is about the love of friendship and companionship. The idea of finding ‘true’ love in a romantic sense makes me want to puke a little.

I say this not because I am a six year old boy who thinks love is disgusting, but because I believe there is much more to loving someone than being romantically inclined or infatuated with them. There are a few friends who realize and accept just how happy I am. They’re a little Absurd too, but while I may joke about their star-struck lovers eyes, they know I’ve got them too. (We just don’t talk about it, cuz EWWWW. GROSS.)

Emlyn Chand’s newest children’s book Vicky finds a Valentine is about a quest. The little love bird goes looking for perfection and finds a forever friend at the end of the day. Nothing more than spending time with the person he loves and cherishes is more important. There’s a lesson here, that Valentines Day is not just one day of the year, but that important relationships in our lives should be acknowledged every day. Yes, Valentines day is a special day to celebrate the people we love, but those people, places and animals should know we love them even when we’re disappointed, sad or mad.

Vicky finds a Valentine hits home on both these points, and uses a beautiful little love bird to tell her tale. There are parts that will hit home with every child and every reader. I was that kid who didn’t get a Valentine from everyone in class. I got ones from the people that mattered though, and while not everyone wanted to be my friend I did have them. Children, just like cats can appear to be mean, even though they’re just doing what’s in they’re nature.

Real Love Birds, Pretty? Yes, but they still scare me ‘loveless’.

Not all of us are cats, and not all of us can be as pretty as a little love bird.

I have one very special forever friend, and just when I think he can’t be any better he surprises me. If I were a little love bird, and he were my human, I already know we’d get the same happy ending that Vicky and Marie did.

Don’t worry though, reading the book won’t turn you into mush. I’m still watching Klingon‘s be duped by a cloned Kahless, and laughing at the human condition. Human are like Klingon, and need something to believe in (even if it’s a cloned Kahless). For today, the Klingon in me has decided to believe in my forever friend, and know they’ll be there for me even after Valentines Day.

Kahless, being all cloned and stuff. I’ve always thought he looked rather philosophical, like my cat

The gift of love can be represented by pretty hearts, and valentines cards, and song and dance. Finding a forever friend is priceless. At least mine is.

Philosocat is a real live kitty, and while he looks a little prickly, he wants to be loved too. Careful, sometimes he bites

You can find out more about Emlyn Chand on her website, goodreads, facebook and google+…she’s also on twitter and her company Novel Publicity is pretty awesome too.

I hear she’s going to have some pretty awesome give-a-ways and events coming up soon so you should definitely follow her and join in spreading the author love.

Related articles

• How-To: Valentine’s Day Party Invitations (cardstore.com)
• Vicky Finds a Valentine: Release Day & Ducky’s Review (emlynchand.com)
• Courtney Saves Everyone (and possibly Christmas too) (naimeless.wordpress.com)
• Children’s books shouldn’t sit still and behave (telegraph.co.uk)

P.S. Just for fun, one of those links up there is to a band…do you know which one??? There’s also a link to data’s face after he tastes something for the first time (and has taste buds to do so) and says “I hate this!”