"... Elliott’s sensitivity for her subjects resonates with Strickland’s distinctive mixed-media art. Shifting perspectives and colors reflect Marcus’s deepening addiction; his signature cap alters accordingly. Off-kilter lines exude the random energy and volatility of an addict. In two powerful double-page spreads, a doorway separates the brothers; Bird, flooded in light, reaches for Marcus, but his brother remains in the darkness. With unusual depth and raw conviction, Elliott’s child-centered narrative excels in this debut."

- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"..."The illustrations, rendered with a delicate touch in watercolor, gouache, charcoal, and pen, emphasize the textual theme of resilience in adversity, even while Marcus’s appearances are often shrouded in a palette of grays. Bird’s own pencil drawings of city life and the repetition of Marcus’s symbolic bright cap add interest and meaning to the visual narrative. From a first-time author and illustrator comes a sad truth of contemporary life successfully leavened with hopeful optimism."

-SLJ