Chocolate, flowers, poems, gifts-all of these things are readily associated with Valentine's Day, the most romantic holiday of the year. But how did this day devoted to the celebration of love come to be? How have the traditions associated with February 14th changed over the years, and how do people in different countries around the world mark the occasion? In VALENTINE BE MINE, readers learn all about this special holiday, from its origin in Rome in the first century all the way to the distribution of Valentines among grade school students in classrooms today. A secondary layer of text provides more detailed information encouraging further research and discovery, while the collage-style art gives readers plenty of visual details to explore and uncover. In addition to providing fascinating facts and stories about this romantic holiday, the book includes Valentine's Day jokes and step-by-step instructions on how to make your own Valentine Day's card and tissue paper flowers.