"A small but very nearly perfect gem. ..."
     —Kirkus Reviews

"Diamond's black wash and line illustrations depict the elderly woman and the wide-eyed and well-mannered rat with charm … those with a love of words will enjoy the way Wersba shows Walter sneaking up on a friendship with the elusive but observant author. Like Richard Kennedy's Come Again in the Spring (HarperCollins, 1976) or Randall Jarrell’s The Bat-Poet (S & S, 1967), this book gives readers some writing to remember and a chance to view the world from a different perspective."
     —School Library Journal

"A sophisticated, quiet contemplation of the relationship between readers and writers that may appeal to thoughtful readers."
     —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"[B]eautiful … moving and unpretentious … lovely … quiet and unsentimental"
     —Booklist

"The real charm here comes through Walter's close observations of his writer landlady, and through Wersba's gradual build to a friendship that seems inevitable. Diamond's half-tone illustrations strike a pleasing balance between realistic portraits of the hero while also allowing his personality to come through."
     —Publishers Weekly

"This soothing, old-fashioned tale, accompanied by precisely rendered pen-and-ink illustrations, is a tribute to books and bibliophiles."
     —Horn Book Guide