Raschka’s prose is charming, written in a rural deadpan reminiscent of KateDiCamillo, and the accompanying drawings are comical and oddball, like many of the novel’s eccentric characters.
—The New York Times
Raschka draws on his inner teen and grown-up as well as his inner child for this wry tale. . . . The strength of small-town stories like this is nearly always in the cast, and here the author ropes in a lively one. . . . Still, it’s Peachaloo . . . who really owns this beguiling story. . . . Fourwords’ small-town characters and character come alive in the frequent black-and-white sketches.
—Booklist (starred review)
Rambling omniscient narration from an observant, good-humored townsperson imparts a cozy atmosphere. . . .Loose blackline illustrations by Caldecott Medalist Raschka depict the eclectic small-town cast with fluid forms.
—Publishers Weekly
Humor joins clever dialogue and an engaging plot that will sweep readers away to a whirlwind ending. . . . Eccentricity abounds in this fantastical underdog tale of natural and historical preservation.
—Kirkus Reviews
Raschka has created a wonderland of the whimsical and weird, with specific and eccentric tertiary characters, a preening and completely unredeemed villain, and a town rich with history and tradition, all bolstered by his signature twisted-but-lovely, pen-and-ink illustrations.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
A rollicking, digressive, and (unsurprisingly given Raschka’s work as an illustrator) highly visually descriptive novel.
—The Horn Book
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