Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Somebody Loves you Mr. Hatch
Illustrator: Paul Yalowitz
Picture Book
For ages 3 to 6
Simon and Schuster, 2006 ISBN: 978-1416912354
Every day Mr. Hatch went to work, had a cheese and mustard sandwich for lunch, bought a newspaper on his walk home, had a chicken wing for dinner, and went to bed early. He was a sad, friendless, colorless man who did little, said little, and made very little of an impact on the world around him. Then, one day something extraordinary happened. It was Valentine’s day and Mr. Hatch got an enormous box of chocolates in the mail. With the box there was a note which said "Somebody loves you."
It is hard to image how much this gift meant to Mr. Hatch. Why if someone loved him then the whole world was a different place. Dressed in colorful clothes, smelling of aftershave, and wearing a large smile on his face, Mr. Hatch went out and began to make some changes in his life. He helped others, gave wonderful parties, and soon he had friends everywhere. It is these friends who come to the rescue when Mr. Hatch suffers a setback and when he thinks that perhaps no one loves him after all.
This delightful story is a tribute to the power of love. Without it the world and life in general is a very cold and lonely place. But if you feel loved everything looks and feels different. The illustrator beautifully captures the transformation that takes place after Mr. Hatch gets his gift. Colors brighten, the mood lifts, and the world is a happier, cheerier place.
