Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch

My 4 and 5 year olds love this story and so do I! It’s the best book for Valentine’s Day and also just Anytimes Day! It’s a book everyone should have on their shelf. It’s about truly seeing those around us and giving of ourselves.

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.

Mr. Hatch is both touching and uplifting, a true commentary of the human spirit. Mrs. Spinelli has written a book that for my family will always remain one of our very favorites. The best thing I can say about it is that after reading it many times, we are now on the lookout for potential Mr. Hatches of our own.

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.