"Treading a narrow line between picture book and graphic novel, Decker employs the strengths of both formats to convey a sense of desperation and, ultimately, hope. ...The power of the story springs from the book’s picture-book simplicity of layout, composition, and text. The open space in the pictures, the brevity of the prose, and the darkness of the subject matter capture the isolation people feel in desperate times, but the story never loses track of the fact that, while there may be no assurances, there is power and hope in human kindness. Echoing issues examined in Decker’s The Letter Home (2005), this profound tale best suits advanced readers prepared for its subtle, potent message"
     —Booklist

"Gripping."
     —Kirkus Reviews

"If David Macaulay fictionalized medieval family life in a plague year, he might produce something like this solemn graphic narrative, set in 1348. Decker sets the stage gracefully... As in his The Letter Home, an idiosyncratic account of WWI, Decker imagines a famously horrific situation and replaces terror with unsettling quietude."
     —Publishers Weekly

"Decker combines elements of a picture book and graphic novel, alternating a more traditional text page with one of a central image surrounded by vignettes. An intriguing title."
     —School Library Journal