Hillenbrand's mixed media illustrations paint a loveable, appreciative, perceptive couple of friends. The endearing playful read-aloud is just waiting for vocal variations, a lumber and a hop.—Parents' Choice (Silver Honor)
Hillenbrand’s soft earth-toned illustrations give us a sense of a cozy natural setting while his ragged bold lines give Bear a scruffy edge that keeps the story from being overly sweet. They are a perfect match for Pinkwater’s text…—The Horn Book
The simple story's design is nicely romanticized, with full-bleed, lightly sketched forest backgrounds spread out over long pages, with the placid action depicted in mixed-media browns and greens with gentle highlights. —Booklist
Pinkwater demonstrates a deft gift for writing for very young children, and the book is made more special by Hillenbrand's lovely pastel illustrations. —School Library Journal