Like her novels, MacLachlan’s latest picture book is a heartwarming—but never saccharine—tale with an old-fashioned feel.
—Kirkus
This is a lovely, affecting package.
—Publishers Weekly
Brown’s beguiling illustrations—sensitive drawings with watercolor washes—bring the characters and the rural setting to life in evocative scenes, with the focus sometimes on the landscape, sometimes on the characters. Written mainly in short words and sentences, this sometimes amusing, sometimes tender picture book is a good choice for reading aloud while also being accessible to many independent readers.
—Booklist
This longer picture book fills a need for early elementary historical fiction.
—School Library Journal
The illustrations are done in watercolor and enhance the story by providing more details about the setting, the passage of time, and the period.
—Library Media Connection
Any kid who has experienced loneliness will surely relate to Nora’s feelings of heartache, and the simple, understated text keeps the action poignant without tipping over into sentimental melodrama.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
This beautiful book will charm readers young and old.
—San Francisco Book Review
