February 14 isn’t just about chocolates and roses — it’s also about stories finding new homes.
Today marks International Book Giving Day, a quietly powerful celebration built on a simple idea: books are meant to be shared.

How International Book Giving Day Began

International Book Giving Day was founded in 2012 as a grassroots effort to encourage people to give books freely to children and communities that might not otherwise have access to them. Unlike many awareness days tied to institutions or sales campaigns, this one grew organically — parents, teachers, librarians, writers, and readers passing books hand-to-hand.

The timing is deliberate. Valentine’s Day already carries themes of generosity and connection, and book giving reframes love as something enduring: literacy, imagination, comfort, and possibility. A book doesn’t wilt or melt. It waits patiently, ready whenever someone opens it.

Over the years, the day has expanded globally. Schools host surprise book drops. Authors donate copies. Neighbors leave books on benches, in Little Free Libraries, or tucked into waiting rooms with handwritten notes. The emphasis isn’t on newness or price, but on fit — the right book for the right reader at the right moment.

Why Book Giving Still Matters

In an age of instant content, giving a physical book is almost radical. It says:

• This mattered to me.
• I thought about you while choosing it.
• Take your time.

Books offer something algorithms can’t: serendipity. A donated book might become a lifelong favorite, a turning point, or simply a warm companion during a hard season. Many readers can trace their love of reading back to a single unexpected gift.

Emma Perry, Alpacas, and the Joy of Invitation

One of the quiet champions of International Book Giving Day is Emma Perry, a longtime literacy advocate who has helped amplify the day through her work connecting readers, authors, and educators.

Emma is also associated with the delightfully titled children’s book This Book Has Alpacas — a perfect example of what book giving does best. It invites curiosity before the first page is even turned. It disarms seriousness with humor. It says, Come in, this is safe, this is fun.

That matters. Especially for reluctant readers, joy is often the gateway. A book about alpacas might seem whimsical, but whimsy is powerful. It lowers defenses. It opens doors. It reminds us that reading doesn’t have to be instructional to be meaningful. (That’s why I designed an alpaca coloring book).

A Different Kind of Valentine

International Book Giving Day isn’t about grand gestures. It’s about noticing.

• The children who outgrew their shelves.
• Neighbors who might love the story you once did.
• A waiting room that feels a little too quiet.

A book placed with care carries a message long after today ends. And in a world that moves fast and forgets easily, that kind of gift lingers.

If you give a book today — whether it features alpacas or adventures or quiet truths (or skunks) — you’re participating in a global tradition built on trust in readers and faith in stories.

That’s a love worth celebrating.