Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch [Hardcover]

Eileen Spinelli (Author), Paul Yalowitz (Illustrator)

Book Description

In a little town on a wintry day, a postman delivers a mysterious package tied up with a big pink bow to a lonely man named Mr. Hatch.

"Somebody loves you" the note says.

"Somebody loves me," Mr. Hatch whispers as he dusts his living room. "Somebody loves me," Mr. Hatch whistles as he does errands in town. "Who," Mr. Hatch wonders, "could somebody be?"

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This warmhearted tale examines the effect that love and tender regard can have on a lackluster existence. Mr. Hatch is a drab, predictable gentleman who leads a painfully ordered and uninteresting life, his dreary routine at the shoelace factory barely broken by the same joyless lunch day after day. One Valentine's Day a giant candy-filled heart is delivered to Mr. Hatch with a note that reads, "Somebody loves you." Just the thought of someone taking an interest in him completely changes the way Mr. Hatch interacts with his neighbors and co-workers. The newly adorable gentleman becomes so much a part of people's lives that when it is disclosed that the heart was delivered by mistake, his friends and neighbors rally around him in a loving demonstration. With its carefully measured pace, Spinelli's gentle prose is perfectly married to Yalowitz's ( Some of My Best Friends Are Monsters ; The Spooky Eerie Night Noise ) contemporary-style colored pencil illustrations, rendered with skill and sensitivity. Even the palette here changes with the story's mood, from dull grays and tans to cheery pinks, oranges and blues. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Colorless Mr. Hatch--who works in a shoelace factory and eats a cheese and mustard sandwich for lunch every day with, just occasionally, a prune--is jarred from his reserve by receiving a huge Valentine box of candy with a card that says only, ``Somebody loves you.'' Amazed, he samples it, shares it at work and, buoyed by his friendly reception, sympathetically helps several people out on the way home (e.g., he watches the newspaper stall so that its proprietor can take his cold to the doctor). He's soon baking brownies, hosting a neighborhood picnic, and reading to the local kids. Then the postman arrives with the news that the candy was delivered to the wrong address, putting poor Mr. Hatch into a funk; but his devoted new friends rally round to bring him back into their cheerful society. Told with warmth and a light touch, the story easily transcends its predictability. It's much enhanced by Yalowitz's mellow color- pencil illustrations. His unique elongated characters with their extra-tall heads are at once animated and serene; the smooth clarity of his scenes is enlivened with many amusing details. A charming book with a real plot, its amiable tone beautifully complemented by the intriguing illustrations. (Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (December 31, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0027860159
• ISBN-13: 978-0027860153
• Product Dimensions: 0.2 x 9.5 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #387,304 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eileen Spinelli is no stranger to the Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers list. Since her debut in 1991 with Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch, an IRA/CBC Children's Choice book and Christopher Award winner, she has gone on to author numerous picture books, poetry collections, and chapter books, including the best-selling When Mama Comes Home Tonight, and the critically acclaimed Sophie's Masterpiece. Eileen lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book about shared love and friendship., February 8, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch (paperback) (Paperback)

This is a book about a man with seemingly no personal connections. He doesn't speak to or socialize with anyone. No one loves him because he is detached. But when a valentine package is delivered to his house with the message "somebody loves you" things begin to change. He begins to look at everyone differently - having no idea from whom the gift was given. Before you know it he has become a loving friend to many, and he is loved in return. He then finds out that the valentine package was delivered to him by mistake and returns to his old ways assuming that nobody does love him. But by this time he has made many new friends who care very much and inspire him with the message that somebody does love him after all!

This is a story that teaches that to receive love you have only to give it. A great book to share with young children.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best!, August 1, 2003

By 

Katrina (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch (paperback) (Paperback)

Sometimes, when I have the time between marching band and homework, I venture into the depths of my closet to get find my boxes of picture books. This (along with Where The Wild Things Are) is one of my absolute favorites. I'll bet that you don't know too many fifteen-year-olds who visit their picture books, so me admitting this is quite special. Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch is a sweet and touching story that I personally think should be on every child's bookshelf. I may not be able to take the stereo or the cat with me when I go off to college in a couple years, but I'll certainly be taking this book.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Perfect Valentine's Day Story....., January 15, 2002

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch (paperback) (Paperback)

"Mr Hatch was tall and thin and he did not smile. Every morning at 6:30 sharp he would leave his brick house and walk eight blocks to the shoelace factory where he worked. At lunchtime he would sit alone in a corner, eat his cheese and mustard sandwich, and drink a cup of coffee. Sometimes he brought a prune for dessert." So begins the story of Mr Hatch, a lonely, quiet man that no one really ever noticed. That is, until the day the big box arrived. Mr Hatch had never received a package before. He excitedly ripped open the wrapping to find a large heart-shaped box filled with candy, and a special note that said, "Somebody loves you." "And then he did something he had never done before: He laughed. He laughed and danced and clapped his hands." He went out for a walk and met and helped his neighbors. He brought his big heart-shaped box to work and shared it with all his co-workers. He baked brownies and made lemonade and had a big party for all the neighborhood children in his backyard and played his harmonica. Mr Hatch bloomed! But all his newfound joy was about to end when the embarrassed postman knocked at the door..... Eileen Spinelli has written a lovely and endearing picture book with a gentle message that is sure to warm the hearts of youngsters and adults alike. Her simple and easy to read text, complete with feel good, happily-ever-after ending, is complemented by Paul Yalowitz's engaging, colored pencil illustrations, full of special details, and children will love watching the artwork bloom, just like Mr Hatch does, from subdued browns and yellows to bright happy colors. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch is a wonderful read aloud story the entire family can enjoy together for Valentine's Day, and every other day of the year, too.