The Great Valentine's Day Balloon Race

by Adrienne Adams

Bonnie and Orson, two young rabbits, build a hot air balloon to enter in a St. Valentine's Day balloon race.

Genres: Picture Books, Holiday, Childrens, Animals

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1980

About the author

Adrienne Adams (February 10, 1906 - December 3, 2002) was a children's book illustrator. She won two Caldecott Honors (in 1960 and 1962) and in 1973 she was awarded the Rutgers Award for overall contributions to children’s literature. In 1977, she won a University of Southern Mississippi Medallion.

She was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas and grew up in Oklahoma She obtained a BA at Stephens College (who awarded her the Alumnae Achievement Award in 1964) then attended the University of Missouri and moved to New York in 1929 to study at the American School of Design and until 1949 she was a free-lance designer of displays, murals, textiles, greeting cards etc. She married children's book writer John Anderson in 1935 and in 1942 illustrated one of his books Bag of Smoke to begin her career as an illustrator becoming full-time in 1952. In total she illustrated more than 30 books, from contemporary authors such as Rumer Godden, Irwin Shapiro and Aileen Fisher to the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very enjoyable story with some really beautiful illustrations. A rabbit family that usually work decorating Easter eggs have some time off to enter a hot air balloon race. The race is held to celebrate Valentine's day and the winner has to land their balloon on a heart shape marker in a field. Not a very complex plot or a story that has much to do with Valentine's day but this was a lovely gentle story and the illustrations are exquisite. If I saw this book or indeed any by this author I would definitely buy.

Read on open library.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

We're edging toward the middle of February, so I wanted to read some Valentine's Day books. This book kind of fails in that regard, but it's so charming that I really enjoyed it anyway.

Orson Abbott (a rabbit) gets it into his head to enter a Valentine's Day hot-air balloon race. There's just one problem: he doesn't have a balloon. So he enlists the help of his friend Bonnie (because she's very smart) and together with the help of Orson's parents they build a working hot-air balloon. During the race, the two young rabbits also use their smarts to rise above the rest (pun intended) and win the race.

While this has little to do with Valentine's Day, it's a great book if you want to learn about how hot-air balloons work. Seriously, for a fictional picture book, it's very informative. The rabbits don't always get things right on the first try, so there's a learning curve involved for them--and the reader.

The writing is simple, yet strong (and free of the grammar errors that seem to be trends in many of today's picture books). The illustrations are charmingly dated; Orson and Bonnie in their turtlenecks and skinny jeans look like they just stepped out of the late '70s (and, in fact, the book was published way back in 1980). But the story feels surprisingly modern in spite of this. There's really no reason today's kids couldn't read and enjoy this lovely book.

Quotable moment:

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Orson Abbott, the painterly rabbit whose adventures began in Adrienne Adams' classic The Easter Egg Artists , and then continued in her The Christmas Party , returns for a third picture-book adventure here. As Orson and his friend Bonnie attempt to create a flying balloon, in order to enter the Valentine's Day Balloon Race, they draw Orson's Easter Egg-painting parents into their efforts. Eventually the group succeeds, and Orson and Bonnie set out on the fateful day. But will they win the race...?

As someone with a great admiration for Adrienne Adams, who has read many of her other picture-books, I've long meant to track The Great Valentine's Day Balloon Race down. I'm glad that I finally did, as I found the story sweet, and the artwork delightful! I just love Adams' use of color here, as well as her adorable bunny characters, and the overall look of her paintings. Recommended to fellow fans of the artist, and to anyone seeking fun, heartwarming Valentine's Day stories.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The rabbits from The Easter Egg Artists are back, and this time they've developed a passion for ballooning. Will Orson and Bonnie win the Big Race?

There's a wafer thin plot here, and the book has really NOTHING to do with Valentine's Day, but I love Adams' dreamy paintings, so I'll go four stars for this one.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

An apparently little-known book, I discovered "The Great Valentine's Day Balloon Race" through a search for Valentine's Day titles at my library. I'm not sure I'd go to any great lengths to seek it out, but for fans of hot air balloons and bunnies, it could prove worthwhile.
When a young bunny and his friend decide they want to participate in the Great Valentine's Day Balloon Race, his parents are at first a bit reluctant. After all, Easter is only a few months away and they have lots of eggs to paint before then! But, he is so enthusiastic that they allow him to follow his bliss and even help him get his balloon ready. (Yay for cool parents!) Also, his friend is a girl bunny and she is very smart (Yay for smart girls!) There's nothing really remarkable about the storytelling or illustrations, but it was enjoyable enough.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

When we put this book on hold, it was merely because it had a Valentine's Day theme and looked cute. I didn't realize that it featured the same adorable characters from The Easter Egg Artists. This is a fun story and I love that it offers a little bit of a science lesson about flying in a hot air balloon and the different wind currents at varying altitudes. It's also an inspirational story about following your dreams and working hard to achieve your goals. I also liked that young Orson was willing to work extra hard and long to do his regular work (painting eggs for Easter) as well as pursue his hobby.
Terrific story with wonderful illustrations!

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're looking for a cute way to learn about hot air balloons, this is a good book to do so.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, it’s called a Valentine’s Day book… but the name is about as far as it goes! Ha, ha! You’ll learn a decent amount about hot air balloons though.

Orson and Bonnie set out to make a hot air balloon for the race on Valentine’s Day. With a few fails and some test runs, they’re ready to go!

Cute pictures throughout!

Ages: 4 - 10

Cleanliness: nothing to note.

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[Charlotte S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Orson and Bonnie hear about a Valentine's Day Balloon Race, and want to enter! They start making their balloon, find the right ratio of hot air, and prepare for a test run. After a few quick fixes, it flies! On the day of the race, they're soaring above the crowd, but then suddenly the wind changes! What will happen to them? Follow @bronteandwilder on Instagram for more fun book recommendations!  

[Sem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adams' illustrations were always lovely but the story didn't grab me. Rabbits in skinny chinos in a balloon... Nope.

[skcocnaH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute illustrations and clever story.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure why this needed to be associated with Valentine's Day.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bunnies and balloons, which is cute, although the main character is a boy, of course, but the girl has some good parts and is touted as the smarter one. A lot of talk about Easter eggs, but not religious themes otherwise. Has some inventive storyline and science thrown in, which was pretty admirable.

[Maggie Magnolia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowed this from the library to read to my daughter because Valentine's Day is approaching. She enjoyed it because she loves hot air balloons.
Cute story.

[Vanessa Peavy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have never been in a hot air balloon, neither have I ever seen one up close in real life. I liked this book and thought it would be a good book help teach that hot air rises to the top.

Grade 3-4

[Bree · Rating 2 out of 5]

Notes:
sequel to Easter Egg Artists

[Jeremy Allen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rabbits learn to make and fly hot air balloons. Weird .