"Wanda, an observant and perceptive fifth grader, gives readers a first-hand account of the effects of powerlessness and grinding poverty on everyday life and family."- School Library Journal.
"Recorvits makes a poised and confident debut with this bittersweet Depression-era tale of a Polish immigrant family ... Bloom's softly shaded black-and-white line illustrations, sometimes brooding, sometimes hopeful, punctuate each chapter and contribute to the emotional impact of the tale." - Publishers Weekly, Starred Review