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Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch
An anonymous valentine changes the life of the unsociable Mr. Hatch, turning him into a laughing friend who helps and appreciates all his neighbours.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1991
22 people are currently reading
1013 people want to read
About the author
Eileen Spinelli
141 books101 followersEileen Spinelli is an award-winning children's book author from southeastern Pennsylvania. She has written over 100 picture books and novels for children. Her husband is Jerry Spinelli, who also writes books for children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 320 reviews
January 30, 2021
A wonderful message about kindness and compassion! The change of colors in the illustrations really set the overall mood. I would read this book aloud to my students around Valentine's Day, but it is definitely suitable for any day of the year!
October 24, 2022
Mr. Hatch keeps to himself and his daily routine. Then he gets a package for Valentine's Day. Inside is a huge heart-shaped box of candy and a note: "Somebody loves you." Those three words transform Mr. Hatch into a man who notices those around him and looks for ways to help. A poignant reminder of the need for us humans to be connected to each other. This is a book that is for everyone, not just the picture book set.
February 14, 2019
Mr. Hatch lives a drab, gray life.
Every week day, he takes a long dreary walk to the shoelace factory where he works. Every lunch is the same: a cheese and mustard sandwich with a prune for dessert. Then it's home to spend the evening all alone. But one day, Valentine's Day to be precise, the mailman brings Mr. Hatch a large package wrapped in brown paper. It's a huge heart-shaped box, filled with candy.
And, it comes with a card that says "Somebody loves you."
Suddenly, Mr. Hatch is filled with glee. He eats a piece of chocolate. He giggles. He puts on a wacky tie, and goes for a walk around the neighborhood. And, he can't help wondering about each woman he sees . . . could she be the one who sent him the gift?
On Monday, he takes the box of candy to work with him, and shares it with all his coworkers. He tries something different for dinner, and even bakes brownies for the neighbors. Suddenly, EVERYBODY loves Mr. Hatch.
I won't tell you what happens next, but Sweeter than a box of chocolates, this is the PERFECT Valentine's Day read.
Every week day, he takes a long dreary walk to the shoelace factory where he works. Every lunch is the same: a cheese and mustard sandwich with a prune for dessert. Then it's home to spend the evening all alone. But one day, Valentine's Day to be precise, the mailman brings Mr. Hatch a large package wrapped in brown paper. It's a huge heart-shaped box, filled with candy.
And, it comes with a card that says "Somebody loves you."
Suddenly, Mr. Hatch is filled with glee. He eats a piece of chocolate. He giggles. He puts on a wacky tie, and goes for a walk around the neighborhood. And, he can't help wondering about each woman he sees . . . could she be the one who sent him the gift?
On Monday, he takes the box of candy to work with him, and shares it with all his coworkers. He tries something different for dinner, and even bakes brownies for the neighbors. Suddenly, EVERYBODY loves Mr. Hatch.
I won't tell you what happens next, but Sweeter than a box of chocolates, this is the PERFECT Valentine's Day read.
February 7, 2017
This was a cute story that shared the message that everyone needs to feel love to be fully fulfilled.
August 21, 2021
I love reading Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch. I like that Mr. Hatch keeps to himself! I think I know a folk tale that has a character just like Him! I just couldn’t wait to see who Mr. Hatch’s “secret admirer” was! Have you ever sent someone a gift for a special occasion? This book is about friendship and community ties. “Don’t frown because you don’t ever know who’s falling in love with your smile.”
February 13, 2022
It's amazing how one little thing, even something as serendipitous as a happy accident, can alter one's mental perspective and so make for eventual major change in one's entire life.
That is what's at work in this book. Mr. Hatch is a somewhat cold, distant man, who takes little notice or care regarding those around him and simply lives his own life, impervious to outside influences. Until, that is, one Valentine's Day when he receives a package in the mail. It's a heart-shaped box of chocolates, and included with it is a single line of text: "Somebody loves you." There is no indication of who sent the note, but this simple statement begins unexpectedly to burrow its way beneath Mr. Hatch's walls of defense, and before long he is acting differently, slowly getting in the habit of going out of his way to come to the aid of others and be a kind member of the community. The "new" Mr. Hatch is a warm man, whose personality shines and draws those around closer to him. Just because of a single valentine note, Mr. Hatch has entered onto a different path in life.
All of his newfound success is shaken up, however, when Mr. Hatch finds out that the "Somebody loves you" valentine was not meant for him. Suddenly, the luster that had seeped into his life from the thought that someone unknown out there loved him begins to fade. The friendly Mr. Hatch starts to recede back into his former self, but the new positive nature of his personality has not been without its deep effect on others, and the people in the neighborhood who have grown fond of Mr. Hatch devise a meaningful way to show him how much he has come to mean to them all.
Sweetly told and honestly touching, Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch is excellent as a Valentine's Day story, a picture book or a thoughtful read for kids. I would give it two and a half stars.
That is what's at work in this book. Mr. Hatch is a somewhat cold, distant man, who takes little notice or care regarding those around him and simply lives his own life, impervious to outside influences. Until, that is, one Valentine's Day when he receives a package in the mail. It's a heart-shaped box of chocolates, and included with it is a single line of text: "Somebody loves you." There is no indication of who sent the note, but this simple statement begins unexpectedly to burrow its way beneath Mr. Hatch's walls of defense, and before long he is acting differently, slowly getting in the habit of going out of his way to come to the aid of others and be a kind member of the community. The "new" Mr. Hatch is a warm man, whose personality shines and draws those around closer to him. Just because of a single valentine note, Mr. Hatch has entered onto a different path in life.
All of his newfound success is shaken up, however, when Mr. Hatch finds out that the "Somebody loves you" valentine was not meant for him. Suddenly, the luster that had seeped into his life from the thought that someone unknown out there loved him begins to fade. The friendly Mr. Hatch starts to recede back into his former self, but the new positive nature of his personality has not been without its deep effect on others, and the people in the neighborhood who have grown fond of Mr. Hatch devise a meaningful way to show him how much he has come to mean to them all.
Sweetly told and honestly touching, Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch is excellent as a Valentine's Day story, a picture book or a thoughtful read for kids. I would give it two and a half stars.
January 17, 2021
Before the #choosekind movement which was inspired by the book Wonder, we had this touching story in which a few kind words make all the difference in someone's life.
February 6, 2009
I loved this one! My favorite Valentine's-themed children's book so far.
March 12, 2016
We need someone to love us, in the times when we don't love ourselves..
Loved it..
Loved it..
October 27, 2022
A delightful tale that teaches children that simple acts of love and thoughtfulness can go a long way into brightening, and even altering, the life of another.
Ages 3+
Cleanliness: the phrase "Goodness!" is used.
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Ages 3+
Cleanliness: the phrase "Goodness!" is used.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
February 15, 2015
The best Valentine's Day picture book ever, with a message that is as meaningful to my Grandchildren as it was to my children. If you haven't read it, treat yourself !! A classic right up there with Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree.
5 stars
5 stars
April 3, 2008
Just a great feel-good book, that for some wonderful reason, my kids adore.
Mr. Hatch is a solitary man until one day when he recieves a surpise valentine from a secret admirer. This prompts him to do good deeds for everyone he comes in contact with until Mr. Hatch is a favorite of everyone in the neighborhood. Then the postman comes to tell Mr. Hatch that the valentine was delivered on accident & wasn't actually for him. Poor Mr. Hatch! He doesn't think anyone loves him anymore & falls back into his solitary routine, but this time everyone misses him. Just a great book about showing each other how important we are.
Mr. Hatch is a solitary man until one day when he recieves a surpise valentine from a secret admirer. This prompts him to do good deeds for everyone he comes in contact with until Mr. Hatch is a favorite of everyone in the neighborhood. Then the postman comes to tell Mr. Hatch that the valentine was delivered on accident & wasn't actually for him. Poor Mr. Hatch! He doesn't think anyone loves him anymore & falls back into his solitary routine, but this time everyone misses him. Just a great book about showing each other how important we are.
February 12, 2021
Wonderful picture book about kindness and how the smallest deed can make a big difference. I read it recently to a class that I was subbing in and it me teary eyed.
March 9, 2009
The perfect Valentine's story!
The artwork is a starting to look a little dated, but will still hold appeal with your elementary aged child. The true charm of this book is in the the narrative. The main character, Mr. Hatch, goes from a dull, gray, lonely life to that of humble-kind-good-friend-to-all. It was always in him, he just needed something to connect him to those around him and it comes as a super-large heart shape box of candies from an anonymous admirer... but little does he know that the post delivered it to his home in error!
The narrative is one of the few that remains simple enough that there isn't too much text to a page for the story to move too slow, but yet enough to really allow this to be a truly character driven story that has strong enough plot with a tinge of O.Henry twist to the end that it is a must read! If it were not for a truly insightful librarian's recommendation, I would have never picked up this winner.
The artwork is a starting to look a little dated, but will still hold appeal with your elementary aged child. The true charm of this book is in the the narrative. The main character, Mr. Hatch, goes from a dull, gray, lonely life to that of humble-kind-good-friend-to-all. It was always in him, he just needed something to connect him to those around him and it comes as a super-large heart shape box of candies from an anonymous admirer... but little does he know that the post delivered it to his home in error!
The narrative is one of the few that remains simple enough that there isn't too much text to a page for the story to move too slow, but yet enough to really allow this to be a truly character driven story that has strong enough plot with a tinge of O.Henry twist to the end that it is a must read! If it were not for a truly insightful librarian's recommendation, I would have never picked up this winner.
November 22, 2010
Very sweet tale of how our actions--even small ones--can change lives. Mr. Hatch lives alone, goes to work, goes home, never talks, never smiles, goes to bed, and... that's all. Mr. Hatch is lonely, he just doesn't realize it. But everything changes one Valentine's Day when a package is delivered straight to him, and inside is a giant box in the shape of a heart, full of chocolates, with a note that says, "someone loves you." In one moment, Mr. Hatch has a new outlook on life. Someone loves me?
I haven't found a Valentine's Day story that I really, really like as a read-aloud, until now. I will definitely be purchasing this for my library.
I haven't found a Valentine's Day story that I really, really like as a read-aloud, until now. I will definitely be purchasing this for my library.
January 21, 2018
A very sweet book. On Valentine's Day Mr. Hatch receives a box of candy and a note that says,
" somebody loves you." Mr. Hatch is a lonely man whose life changes in that moment.
" somebody loves you." Mr. Hatch is a lonely man whose life changes in that moment.
October 8, 2017
Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch is a story about an ordinary man named Mr. Hatch who is very lonely and goes about the events of his everyday life alone. He eats alone at work, does not look store clerks in the eye or talk to friends/family, etc. He does not feel the true weight of his own loneliness until he receives an anonymous Valentine which leads him to believe their is someone out their who cares about him only to find out it was delivered to him by mistake. His neighbors, friends and coworkers notice the pleasant change in Mr. Hatch upon receiving the Valentine and the subsequent negative change after finding out the Valentine was meant for someone else. They ban together to show him he is loved.
Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch is realistic fiction and is appropriate for grades K-2. This book is a good read aloud for Valentine's Day but can be used throughout the school year. This book is a helpful tool to promote kindness and empathy for others in the classroom. Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch does a great job of showing children what true loneliness, sadness and disappointment looks like. The book does this by using relatable topics to children such as eating alone. However, it also does a great job of showing students simple things people can do to make a difference in each other's lives and put a smile on someone's face such as simply saying good morning.
This book is a WOW book for me because not only does the emotions discussed in the book resonate with me and create empathy in me as an adult, but when reading this book to children you can really see the gravity of the affect it has on them as well. I believe this book is one of those books that can help make the world a better place.
Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch is realistic fiction and is appropriate for grades K-2. This book is a good read aloud for Valentine's Day but can be used throughout the school year. This book is a helpful tool to promote kindness and empathy for others in the classroom. Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch does a great job of showing children what true loneliness, sadness and disappointment looks like. The book does this by using relatable topics to children such as eating alone. However, it also does a great job of showing students simple things people can do to make a difference in each other's lives and put a smile on someone's face such as simply saying good morning.
This book is a WOW book for me because not only does the emotions discussed in the book resonate with me and create empathy in me as an adult, but when reading this book to children you can really see the gravity of the affect it has on them as well. I believe this book is one of those books that can help make the world a better place.
November 14, 2019
This was not one of my favorite picture books. I liked the main message of the story but did not like the illustrations and the amount of writing. The book is about a guy who is very quiet and sad because he has no friends and thinks no one likes him. One day, he receives a valentine’s day note with a box of chocolates. His mood suddenly changes to being very friendly and talking to everyone he sees. Then the mail man comes back and says he gave the note to the wrong person and takes the note away. Mr. Hatch goes back to being sad but the community notice he is sad again so they go to his house to cheer him up. I was not a fan of how much writing was on each page. There was a lot and I feel like it took away from the illustrations. Also, the illustrations were very plain and almost boring. Overall, I thought the message of the book was very important but it could have been portrayed in a better way.
February 15, 2014
This has to be the best Valentine's Day picture book I've ever read. Mr. Hatch does the same thing day in and day out. He doesn't have any friends so he is surprised when he gets a package in the mail. A note attached to the large heart shaped candy box reads - "Somebody Love You." Now Mr. Hatch is seeing the world in a whole new light. He's making friends and laughing all the time. But, what will happen when he discovers the note wasn't for him?
I felt so sorry for Mr. Hatch. He was just a lonely guy who needed something to wake him up. Through a simple mistake he is able to make friends and make a new, better life for himself. This is a wonderfully beautiful and touching story about little things changing our lives.
I felt so sorry for Mr. Hatch. He was just a lonely guy who needed something to wake him up. Through a simple mistake he is able to make friends and make a new, better life for himself. This is a wonderfully beautiful and touching story about little things changing our lives.
March 31, 2019
I first encountered this book on the amazing Storyline Online youtube channel. Hector Elizondo was reading it, and he was simply perfect. I just love this book! During library, we read it the week before Valentine's Day. Afterward, we discussed using Valentine's Day to show love to more than just the usual people - mom, dad, teacher, best friend. Each student chose someone they don't really know in the school and had the challenge to be extra kind to that person all week. Then, the next week in the library, they made a Valentine and delivered it to that person. Thanks to Eileen Spinelli and Hector Elizondo, I think we made a few Mr. Hatches of our own.
September 26, 2007
Mr. Hatch has a colorless life of work and ham sandwiches, until the day a Valentine heart arrives at his door. Somebody loves him, but who? Moved by the gift, Mr. Hatch passes the love on to all those around him, and brings joy to his world. Then he discovers that the heart was delivered to him by accident, and he is crushed. He goes back to his old ways, only to worry all his new friends. They have a surprise party to reassure them that he IS loved. Give love to get love!
February 11, 2011
Ahhh, this is a sweet story about a lonely man who get a heart-shaped box of candy for Valentine's Day. My son was entranced by the huge box of chocolates and I am pretty sure he would love to receive it, too!
This book makes me want to go out and buy chocolates for people who live alone.
This book is also currently available at http://www.storylineonline.net/ which was something I didn't realize.
This book makes me want to go out and buy chocolates for people who live alone.
This book is also currently available at http://www.storylineonline.net/ which was something I didn't realize.
April 3, 2011
This was WOONNNDERRFFULLL!!! I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Mr. Hatch lives a simple life and keeps to himself. One day he gets a Valentine and he his whole demeanor changes. He becomes more open to people and realizes that he can help others and others help him. It is a great book to use to show how small things can make a very big difference in someone's life for we do not always know what others are going through.
February 1, 2019
I got this book from the library last year for my 4 year old for Valentine's Day and he absolutely loved this heartwarming story about how love can create more love in the world. We read it, conservatively, a zillion times before we returned it to the library. And now that Valentine's Day is coming up, my now-5 year old son said today, unprompted, "I can't wait to read the Mr. Hatch story again now that it's Valentine's Day!" A book that enduring in the mind of a small boy is pretty special.
March 4, 2024
A sweet and moving childrens book about a bland, lonely man who believes no one cares about him until he accidentally recieves an anonomous package on valentines day ,"Why, I've got a secret admirer!", he exclaims, this coincidental event changes his attitude completely until he is friends with everyone he comes in contact with. When he discovers a sad truth, his new friends are there to back him up,"Everyone Loves Mr. Hatch!".
November 20, 2008
A lonely shoelace factory worker is sent a valentine card, or so he thinks. When he thought someone really cared about him, it changed the way he socialized with other people. He became more friendly and outgoing. However, he finds out that the card wasn't meant for him and shuts down. The people that he made friends with miss him, and he realizes that people do really care about him.
February 4, 2019
A very sweet book about the power of telling people you appreciate them. I didn't love the ending...somehow finding out that a mistake launched the whole thing took away from it a bit for me even though it was redemptive in the end. It sort of changed the message to he was only worthy of love once he was nicer, which wasn't as nice of a message as the beginning.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2019
Sob. I love you, Mr. Hatch! This is the sweetest. My 12-year old was listening in as I was reading this to my 6-year old, and she yelled, “It was a mistake, wasn’t it?! He got it by mistake! Poor Mr. Hatch!” right as the postman came to see Mr. Hatch. And my 6-year old was very relieved that somebody did love Mr. Hatch after all.
October 7, 2021
I am writing this review 30 years post-publication and I declare with the authority invested in me as a lifelong children's book reader and professional—this is STILL one of the greatest picture books, EVER!
March 11, 2015
Loved it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 320 reviews