Valentines Day Stories for Kids

Maya had made the most beautiful Valentine's card. She had drawn two little hearts holding hands, and inside she had written, "You are my best friend." It was for her friend Zoe. But now the card sat in Maya's bag, and Maya could not make herself give it. "What if she thinks it is silly?" Maya worried. "What if she does not like it?" All day, Maya carried the card. She put it on Zoe's desk, then took it back. She almost handed it over at lunch, then slipped it away again. The card was getting crumpled, and so was Maya's courage. After school, Maya walked home feeling heavy. The card was still in her bag, unsent. Her mother noticed her sad face. "What is wrong?" "I made a card for Zoe," Maya said, "but I am too scared to give it. What if she laughs?" Her mother smiled. "A card made with love is never silly. And a true friend will love it because it came from you." Maya thought about that. She thought about all the times Zoe had shared her crayons and made her laugh. Zoe was her best friend. Zoe would not laugh. The next morning, Maya took a deep breath and walked right up to Zoe. "This is for you," she said, holding out the card. Zoe opened it and smiled so big her eyes crinkled. "Maya, this is the best card ever! You are my best friend too!" Zoe gave Maya a huge hug. And Maya felt her whole body fill with warmth. Sharing her feelings, she learned, had brought them closer than ever.

The week before Valentine's Day, a new boy joined Mia's class. His name was Sam, and he was very quiet. He sat in the back row and did not talk to anyone. Everyone in class had already made their Valentine's card list, and nobody had Sam's name on it. "Poor Sam," Mia thought. "He will not get any cards." The night before the card exchange, Mia sat at her kitchen table with her pile of cards. She had written one for every friend in class. But she kept thinking about Sam, sitting alone in the back row. Mia looked at her paper hearts and markers. She still had one blank card left. "I can make one more," she said to herself. She wrote Sam's name on it in big, careful letters. Inside, she wrote, "Welcome to our class. I am glad you are here." She drew a little smiling sun. The next morning, the class passed out their cards. Everyone had a big pile except Sam, whose desk was empty. He sat very still, looking at his hands. Then Mia walked over and set her card on his desk. "This is for you," she said. Sam looked up, surprised. He opened the card and read it slowly. A big smile spread across his face. "Thank you," he said quietly. "It is my first card here." That day, Sam sat with Mia at lunch, and he was not so quiet anymore. One small card, Mia learned, had turned a stranger into a friend.

For Valentine's Day, Leo's teacher gave everyone a small box. The idea was simple: write one kind thing about each classmate and drop it in their box. Leo stared at his empty box of paper slips. He wanted to write nice things, but what could he say? "I do not know what is kind about anyone," Leo sighed to his mother. "Then look closer," his mother said. "Everyone has something good in them, if you take the time to see it." The very next day, Leo paid close attention. He noticed that Emma always held the door for everyone. That was kind. He noticed that Jay shared his crayons without being asked. That was kind too. He noticed that Priya helped the little kids find their classroom. Leo began to write. One note, then another, then a whole stack of them by lunchtime. The more he looked, the more kind things he saw. "Emma, you always hold the door. Thank you." "Jay, you share your crayons. That is nice." "Priya, you help the little kids. You are a good helper." When the boxes were passed around, Leo's box was fuller than he expected. But the best part was watching his friends read his notes and smile. "You saw that?" Emma said, surprised. "I did not think anyone noticed." Leo grinned. "Kindness is everywhere," he said, "if you just look for it." That day, Leo learned that noticing the good in others is a gift you give to everyone, including yourself.

Ellie loved Valentine's Day. She had made a card for every friend in class, and her backpack was stuffed with them. Pink hearts, red hearts, and even one sparkly one for her teacher. "I think I made cards for everyone," Ellie said proudly. "Everyone?" her mother asked with a smile. Ellie thought for a moment. Then she looked at her mother and father, who made her breakfast every morning and read to her every night. "Oh no," Ellie said. "I forgot you!" Her mother laughed. "That is okay. We know you love us." But Ellie felt a little pang. Her parents did so much for her, and she had not made them a single card. That evening, Ellie went to work. She cut out two big hearts, one for Mom and one for Dad. Inside, she wrote all the things she loved about them. She wrote about her mother's pancakes and her father's silly jokes. She wrote about the way they hugged her tight when she was sad. "These are for you," Ellie said, handing over the cards. Her mother's eyes filled with happy, proud tears. Her father read his card and pulled Ellie into a big hug. "These are the best Valentine's cards we have ever gotten," he said. Ellie beamed. She had almost forgotten the two people who loved her most. But now, she knew something important. "The first people to love you," she said, "are the ones at home. And they deserve the biggest cards of all."

For Valentine's Day, Noah's teacher did something different. Instead of passing out candy, she gave everyone a sheet of paper hearts and said, "Write one thing you are thankful for on each heart." Noah stared at his blank hearts. Thankful? He could not think of anything. "This is hard," Noah said. "I do not have anything to write." "Everyone has something," his teacher said. "Think about the little things that make your day better." Noah thought. His bed was warm in the morning. That was something. He wrote "my warm bed" on the first heart. Then he thought of his dog, Biscuit, who wagged his tail every time Noah came home. He wrote "my dog Biscuit" on another heart. He thought of his grandma's cookies, his best friend Leo, and the way his dad read to him at night. One by one, the hearts filled up. Soon, Noah had run out of hearts and needed more paper. "Look at that," his teacher said, smiling. "You found a lot to be thankful for." Noah looked at his pile of hearts, each one holding something good. He had started the day thinking he had nothing, and now his desk was full. "I did not know my life had so many good things," Noah said, surprised. "That is what gratitude does," his teacher said. "It helps you see the good that was there all along." Noah hung his hearts up at home, and every time he walked past them, he smiled. Saying thank you for the small things, he learned, made everything feel bigger and better.

Ben's class was making valentines. There was red paper and pink paper everywhere. Miss Lane gave each child a list of names. Ben had to make a card for every friend. Ben worked hard. He made cards with hearts and stickers. He made one for Mia, one for Sam, and one for Leo. Soon he had a big pile of cards. "How many are left?" Ben asked. "One more," Miss Lane said. "It is for Omar. He is new in our class." Ben frowned. He did not know Omar. Omar was quiet and sat by himself. Ben did not want to make a card for a boy he did not know. "I will do it later," Ben said. He slipped the last card under his book. The next morning, all the children put their valentines in a big box. Miss Lane passed them out. Every child got a card. Every child but one. Omar's desk was empty. He looked down at his hands. He had no valentine at all. Ben saw Omar's sad face. His own heart felt heavy. He opened his book. There was the last card, still blank. Ben wrote on the card. He drew a big heart and a smile. He walked to Omar's desk. "This is for you," Ben said. "I am sorry it is late." Omar looked up. He smiled wide. "Thank you," he said. "This is my very first valentine." Ben smiled too. "Happy Valentine's Day, Omar," he said. From that day, Ben and Omar sat together at lunch. The last valentine made a new friend. Everyone deserves a card. Everyone deserves to feel included.

Mia loved her grandma. But Grandma lived far away, in another town. Mia could not see her every day. She missed Grandma's hugs and her warm cookies. Valentine's Day was coming. Mia's class was making cards. Mia made one card that was extra special. It was bright red with a big pink heart. "Who is that for?" Mia's friend asked. "It is for my grandma," Mia said. "But she lives far away." "Will she ever get it?" her friend asked. "I hope so," Mia said. She put a stamp on the card and wrote Grandma's address. Then she walked to the mailbox at the end of the street. Mia held the card tight. "I love you, Grandma," she whispered. She dropped the card in the mailbox. Plunk. Then Mia waited. One day passed. Then two. Then three. Mia checked the mailbox every day. "Is there anything for me?" she asked her mom. "Not yet," Mom said. "The mail takes time." Then one morning, Mom called out. "Mia! There is a letter for you!" Mia ran to the door. The letter had a pink stamp and Grandma's writing. She opened it. Inside was a valentine with a big heart. It said, "I love you, Mia. See you soon." Mia hugged the card. "Grandma got my valentine!" she said. "And she sent one back!" Mia put Grandma's card on her wall. Every time she looked at it, she felt warm. Grandma was far away, but her love had traveled all the way to Mia's mailbox. "Love can travel far," Mia said. "You just have to send it."

Lily had a favorite sticker. It was a shiny red heart. Her grandma gave it to her. Lily kept it on her notebook. One morning, Lily walked to school with her notebook under her arm. The wind was strong. Lily did not see the heart sticker slip off. It fell to the ground and blew away. At school, Lily looked at her notebook. The heart was gone. "Oh no!" she said. "My heart sticker is lost!" "Maybe it is at home," her friend Noah said. "I had it this morning," Lily said. Her eyes filled with tears. "My grandma gave it to me." Noah saw how sad Lily was. "Do not cry," he said. "Let us look for it. I will help you." So Noah and Lily walked back down the street. They looked by the fence. They looked under the leaves. They looked near the big tree. "Is this it?" Noah asked. He held up a red candy wrapper. "No," Lily said. "Mine is a shiny heart." They kept looking. The wind blew and the leaves danced. Noah got down on his knees. He looked under a bench by the bus stop. "Lily! Come here!" Noah called. "I found something!" Lily ran over. There, under the bench, was the shiny red heart. It was a little dirty, but it was hers. "You found it!" Lily said. She picked it up and wiped it clean. "Thank you, Noah. You are a good friend." "Friends help friends," Noah said. "I am glad we found it." Lily put the heart back on her notebook. She pressed it down hard so it would not fall again. Then she smiled at Noah. "Helping me find it was real kindness," Lily said. "I will remember that." The two friends walked to school together, happy and warm.

Mr. Finn lived next door. He was old and he lived all alone. Maya saw him sitting on his porch every day. He never smiled. "Why is Mr. Finn so sad?" Maya asked her mom. "He lives alone," Mom said. "He does not have anyone to talk to." Valentine's Day came. Maya's garden was full of red roses. They smelled sweet and looked bright. Maya had an idea. "Can I pick some roses for Mr. Finn?" she asked. "Of course," Mom said. "That is a kind thing to do." Maya picked a small bunch of roses. She wrapped them in pink paper. Then she walked next door. Her heart beat fast. Maya knocked on Mr. Finn's door. Knock, knock. The door opened. Mr. Finn looked down at Maya. He looked surprised. "Hello, Mr. Finn," Maya said. "Happy Valentine's Day. I picked these roses for you." Mr. Finn's eyes went wide. He took the roses in his hands. He smelled them. Then, slowly, a big smile spread across his face. "No one has given me flowers in a long time," he said. "Thank you, Maya. You made my day." "Do you want to come over for cookies?" Maya asked. "My mom made some." "I would love that," Mr. Finn said. So Mr. Finn came over. He ate cookies and drank tea. He laughed and told stories. Maya saw that he was not sad at all. He was just lonely. From that day on, Mr. Finn smiled more. He and Maya waved every morning. A small bunch of roses had filled a lonely heart. "A little kindness goes a long way," Maya said. "It was just flowers to me, but it meant so much to him."

Ava and Zoe were best friends. They did everything together. They played, they laughed, and they shared their snacks. On Valentine's Day, Ava's mom baked heart cookies. They were pink and sweet. She put them on a big plate. "The last one is for you two," Mom said. "Share it." Ava and Zoe looked at the plate. There was only one cookie left. It was the biggest one, with red sugar on top. "I want it," Ava said. "No, I want it," Zoe said. They both reached for the cookie at the same time. Their hands bumped. "I saw it first," Ava said. "But I am your guest," Zoe said. "Guests should get it." The two friends frowned at each other. The cookie sat on the plate. Nobody was happy. Then Ava had an idea. "Wait," she said. "We do not have to fight. We can break it in half." Zoe's frown turned into a smile. "You are right," she said. "Half for you and half for me." So Ava broke the cookie right down the middle. She gave one half to Zoe. She kept one half for herself. They both got a piece with red sugar. They sat together and ate their halves. The cookie was sweet and soft. "This is so good," Zoe said. "It tastes even better because we shared it," Ava said. "You are right," Zoe said. "One whole cookie is nice. But half a cookie with a friend is better." The two friends laughed. Then they washed their hands and played all afternoon. They did not fight about the cookie anymore. That night, Ava told her mom what happened. "Sharing made the cookie taste sweeter," she said. "Sharing always does," Mom said. "A treat is sweeter when a friend is there to enjoy it with you."

Theo was the quietest boy in class. He sat in the back and did not talk much. At recess, he sat alone on the bench. "Why is Theo always alone?" Nina asked. "He is too quiet," one kid said. "Maybe he does not want friends." But Nina was not so sure. She watched Theo. He looked lonely. His eyes looked sad. Valentine's Day was coming. Everyone was making cards. Nina made cards for all her friends. Then she thought about Theo. "Are you making a card for Theo?" her friend asked. "I think so," Nina said. "But he is so quiet," her friend said. "He will not even say thank you." "Maybe he is quiet because no one talks to him," Nina said. So Nina made a card for Theo. She drew a big yellow sun and a smiling face. She wrote, "I hope you have a great day. From Nina." On Valentine's Day, the class passed out cards. Nina walked to the back of the room. She put her card on Theo's desk. Theo looked up. He looked surprised. "Is this for me?" he asked. "Yes," Nina said. "Happy Valentine's Day, Theo." Theo picked up the card. He read it slowly. Then he smiled. It was a big, bright smile. "Thank you," he said. "This is my first valentine." "Do you want to sit with me at recess?" Nina asked. "Yes, please," Theo said. So Nina and Theo sat together at recess. Theo talked and talked. He was not quiet at all. He just needed someone to say hello first. "A little hello made all the difference," Nina said. "Theo just needed a friend to reach out."

In the middle of the park stood a big old tree. In winter, its branches were bare. There were no leaves and no color. The tree looked sad. "That tree is so plain," a girl named Josie said. "It looks lonely," her friend Ben said. Valentine's Day was coming. The children in town wanted to do something nice. Josie had an idea. "Let us make the tree pretty," she said. "We can hang paper hearts on its branches." "That is a great idea," Ben said. "And we can write kind words on the hearts." So all the children cut out paper hearts. They used red, pink, and white paper. On each heart, they wrote a kind word or a nice note. One heart said, "You are a good friend." Another said, "Thank you for helping." Another said, "You make me smile." The children took their hearts to the park. They tied them to the branches with string. They hung hearts high and low. Soon the whole tree was covered in color. More people saw the tree. They came to add their own hearts. A man hung a heart that said, "Thank you, firefighters." A woman hung one that said, "Be kind to everyone." The tree was not bare anymore. It was full of kind words. People stopped to read the hearts and smile. "Look at our tree now," Josie said. "It is the prettiest tree in town." "It is pretty because of the kind words," Ben said. "Kind words grow when people share them." The tree stayed bright all winter. Every time someone added a heart, the tree got a little more color. The whole town felt warmer. "One heart started it all," Josie said. "Now everyone is sharing kind words."

Ava loved to visit her grandpa. He had a big box of old things in his room. Ava liked to look through it. One day, Ava found a small box. It was tied with a faded ribbon. She opened it carefully. Inside was a very old valentine. The card was yellow and soft. It had a hand-drawn heart on it. The writing was old and fancy. "Grandpa, what is this?" Ava asked. Grandpa smiled. "That is a valentine I made for your grandma," he said. "I made it when we were young, a long time ago." "You made it yourself?" Ava asked. Her eyes went wide. "Yes," Grandpa said. "I drew the heart and wrote a poem. I gave it to her on our first Valentine's Day together." Ava looked at the card. "It is so old," she said. "But it is still pretty." "Your grandma kept it all these years," Grandpa said. "She kept it in this little box by her bed. She said it was her favorite thing." "Even after all this time?" Ava asked. "Even after all this time," Grandpa said. His eyes looked far away and warm. "Love does not get old. It just gets deeper." Ava held the card gently. She thought about her grandma, who was gone now. She thought about how Grandpa still kept the card. "Can I make a valentine like this for someone I love?" Ava asked. "Of course," Grandpa said. "Love is best when you put it in your own hands." That night, Ava made a valentine for her grandpa. She drew a heart and wrote a poem. Grandpa put it in his box, right next to Grandma's. "Now I have two treasures," he said. "Love lasts a whole lifetime, Ava. And then some."

Max was a big brown dog. He loved his boy, Sam, more than anything. Sam fed him and played with him every day. Valentine's Day was coming. Max saw Sam making cards at the table. Sam made a card for his mom and one for his dad. "I need a card for Max too," Sam said. He made a card with a dog on it. Max wagged his tail. He wanted to give Sam a valentine too. But Max had no money. He could not buy a card. He could not make one with paper and crayons. Max thought hard. What could he give Sam? Then he had an idea. Max ran to the yard. He dug a hole near the fence. He pulled out his favorite bone. It was old and brown, but it was his best treasure. Max carried the bone to Sam. He dropped it at Sam's feet. Then he wagged his tail and licked Sam's hand. Sam looked down at the bone. "Is this for me, Max?" he asked. Max barked. Woof! Sam laughed. "You are giving me your favorite bone for Valentine's Day," he said. "That is the best gift ever." Sam hugged Max. "You did not have to buy anything," he said. "You gave me your favorite thing. That means more than any card." Max wagged his tail so hard his whole body shook. He was happy. Sam showed the bone to his mom. "Max gave me a valentine," he said. "It is his favorite bone." "That is a gift from the heart," Mom said. "A gift made with love is worth more than one that is bought." Sam put the bone on his shelf. "I will keep it forever," he said. "It is the best valentine I ever got." Max curled up at Sam's feet. He had given his best. And his best was more than enough.

Ben's best friend was named Kai. They did everything together. They rode bikes, built forts, and told secrets. Then one day, Kai's family moved far away. Ben felt very sad. He missed Kai every day. "I miss Kai," Ben told his mom. "He is so far away now." "You can still be friends," Mom said. "You can write to him." But Ben was not sure a letter was enough. He wanted to send something special. One day, Ben was walking by the creek. He looked down and saw a rock. It was shaped just like a heart. Ben picked it up. It fit perfectly in his hand. "This is it," Ben said. "This is what I will send Kai." Ben went home and found a small box. He put the heart-shaped rock inside. He wrote a note that said, "This heart is for you. It means I am thinking of you." He mailed the box to Kai. Then he waited. A week later, a box came in the mail for Ben. It was from Kai. Ben opened it fast. Inside was a heart-shaped rock too. It was smooth and gray. A note said, "I found this and thought of you. We are still friends, no matter how far." Ben held the rock in his hand. He smiled so wide his cheeks hurt. "Kai sent me a heart rock," Ben said. "He is far away, but he is still my best friend." Ben put both rocks on his windowsill. One from him and one from Kai. They sat side by side, just like the two friends used to. "A friend far away is still close to your heart," Ben said. "Kai and I will always be friends."

Ella's neighbor, Mrs. Park, was in the hospital. Ella was sad. She wanted to help, but she did not know how. "Can I visit Mrs. Park?" Ella asked her mom. "Soon," Mom said. "She needs rest right now." Ella thought and thought. What could she do from home? Then she had an idea. "Can I make valentines for Mrs. Park?" Ella asked. "And for everyone in the hospital?" "That is a lovely idea," Mom said. So Ella got out her paper and crayons. She made a valentine for Mrs. Park. She drew a big sun and wrote, "Get well soon. I miss you." Then Ella made more cards. She made cards for other sick people she did not even know. She made cards for the nurses and doctors too. "Thank you for helping people," one card said. "You are a hero," said another. Ella worked all afternoon. Soon she had a big bag of valentines. There were red hearts and pink flowers and happy faces everywhere. Ella and her mom took the bag to the hospital. A nurse met them at the door. "These are for the patients and the nurses," Ella said. "Happy Valentine's Day." The nurse smiled. "These are wonderful," she said. "I will pass them out." The next week, Ella got to visit Mrs. Park. Mrs. Park was feeling better. She had Ella's card taped to her wall. "Your card made me smile every day," Mrs. Park said. "It helped me feel better." Ella smiled. "I am glad," she said. "Making something for someone who is sick is a gift of care." "You have a big heart, Ella," Mrs. Park said. "Thank you."

Milo was shy. He wanted to make friends, but talking to new people scared him. His heart would beat fast and his voice would get small. A new boy named Avi joined Milo's class. Avi was quiet too. He sat alone at lunch and played alone at recess. Milo wanted to talk to Avi. "He looks nice," Milo thought. "Maybe he likes the same games I do." But every time Milo got close, he turned away. He was too scared. Valentine's Day was coming. Milo had an idea. He would write a valentine for Avi. But he was too shy to hand it to him. So Milo made a card. He drew two kids playing ball. He wrote, "Do you want to be friends? From Milo." Then, when no one was looking, he slipped the card into Avi's cubby. The next day, Milo watched Avi find the card. Avi opened it and smiled. He looked around the room. Milo looked away fast. At recess, Avi walked up to Milo. Milo's heart beat fast. "Did you give me this card?" Avi asked. He held up the valentine. Milo wanted to run. But he took a deep breath. "Yes," he said quietly. "I was too shy to give it to you. But I want to be friends." Avi smiled a big smile. "I wanted to be friends too," he said. "I was shy also." "Really?" Milo asked. "Really," Avi said. "Do you want to play ball?" "Yes," Milo said. And this time his voice was strong. The two boys played ball all recess. They laughed and talked. Milo forgot to be scared. "It took courage to talk to you," Milo said. "But I am glad I did." "Me too," Avi said. "Sometimes the hardest hello makes the best friend."

Miss Lee was the best teacher. She sang songs and read stories. She always had a smile for everyone. But one day, Miss Lee was not smiling. She was quiet. She moved slowly. Her eyes looked tired and sad. "Is Miss Lee okay?" Lila whispered to her friend. "I do not know," her friend said. "She seems sad today." The class did their work, but Lila kept looking at Miss Lee. Miss Lee was not her usual happy self. Lila felt worried. At snack time, Lila had an idea. She took out her crayons and a piece of paper. She drew a picture of Miss Lee with a big smile. She drew flowers and a rainbow. Then she wrote, "You are the best teacher." Lila walked up to Miss Lee's desk. She held out the picture. "This is for you, Miss Lee," Lila said. "I noticed you seemed sad. I wanted to cheer you up." Miss Lee looked at the picture. Her eyes got shiny. "Oh, Lila," she said. "Thank you. This means so much to me." Then Lila gave Miss Lee a hug. It was a soft, warm hug. "I was feeling a little sad today," Miss Lee said. "But you made it better. Thank you for noticing." The rest of the day, Miss Lee smiled more. She even sang a song with the class. Lila felt warm inside. "You helped Miss Lee," Lila's friend said. "That was so nice of you." "Noticing when someone is sad and showing you care matters," Lila said. "A hug and a picture were all she needed."

Ruby and Tia were best friends. But one day, they had a big fight. It started over a toy. Ruby wanted the red car. Tia wanted it too. They pulled and pulled. "It is my turn!" Ruby shouted. "No, it is my turn!" Tia shouted back. Ruby said some mean words. Tia ran home crying. After that, the two friends did not talk. They did not play. They did not sit together. Days passed. Ruby felt awful. She missed Tia. She missed laughing with her. "Why are you so sad?" Ruby's mom asked. "I was mean to Tia," Ruby said. "Now she will not talk to me." "Have you said sorry?" Mom asked. "No," Ruby said. "I am scared she is still mad." "Sorry is a small word with big power," Mom said. "Try it." Valentine's Day was coming. Ruby had an idea. She made a valentine for Tia. On the front, she drew two hands holding a heart. On the inside, she wrote, "I am sorry for the mean words. I miss you." Ruby walked to Tia's house. Her hands shook a little. She knocked on the door. Tia opened the door. She looked surprised. Ruby held out the card. "This is for you," she said. "I am sorry. Can we be friends again?" Tia took the card and read it. Then she looked at Ruby. "I am sorry too," Tia said. "I said mean things back." The two friends hugged. It felt so good. "Do you want to play?" Tia asked. "Yes," Ruby said. "You can have the red car first." "No, we can share it," Tia said. They played all afternoon, just like old times. Ruby felt happy again. "Saying sorry mended our friendship," Ruby said. "I should have said it sooner."

Every morning, Mr. Green drove the school bus. He smiled at every child. He helped the little ones up the steps. He said, "Good morning!" in a happy voice. But no one ever said thank you to Mr. Green. The kids just got on the bus and sat down. They talked to their friends. They did not think about the driver. One day, a boy named Sam looked at Mr. Green. Mr. Green was helping a small girl with her heavy backpack. "Mr. Green helps us every day," Sam thought. "And we never thank him." Sam told his class. "Let us do something nice for Mr. Green," he said. "He drives us every day and never complains." "Great idea!" the class said. So the class made a giant valentine. It was as big as a window. They all signed it. They wrote, "Thank you, Mr. Green! You are the best bus driver!" On Valentine's Day, the class waited at the bus stop. When the bus came, they all got on. Then Sam held up the big card. "This is for you, Mr. Green," Sam said. "Thank you for driving us every day." Mr. Green's face lit up. He smiled the biggest smile the kids had ever seen. "For me?" he said. "Nobody has ever given me a valentine before." "We wanted to say thank you," the class said together. Mr. Green's eyes got a little wet. "This means so much to me," he said. "I love driving you kids. You make my job fun." From that day on, the kids said thank you every morning. They waved and smiled. Mr. Green smiled back, all the way to school. "Thanking the people who help you every day matters," Sam said. "Mr. Green helps us, and now we help him feel happy too."