Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch

Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch

One wintry day, a postman delivers a mysterious package with a big pink bow to a lonely man named Mr. Hatch. “Somebody loves you,” the note says. “Somebody loves me!” Mr. Hatch sings as he dusts his living room. “Somebody loves me!” Mr. Hatch whistles as he does his errands in town. “But who,” Mr. Hatch wonders, “could that somebody be?” After some time, Mr. Hatch discovers just who his secret admirer is and, in doing so, enjoys the biggest surprise of his life! 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. "A charming book with a real plot." "Kirkus Reviews", starred review Eileen Spinelli has written many books for children. Her 1991 debut Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch was?a Christopher Award winner, and she has gone on to author numerous picture books, poetry collections, and chapter books, including the bestselling?When Mama Comes Home Tonight,?and the critically acclaimed?Sophie’s Masterpiece.?Eileen lives in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Paul Yalowitz is the acclaimed illustrator of a number of children’s books, including?The Spooky Eerie Night Noise?by Mona Rabun Reeves and Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli. He lives in Brentwood, New York.