"Crosby-Fairall's text is driven by action verbs (Emmie sketches, scavenges, paces, and ponders) and uses a satisfying structure to build tension before gently dissolving it. The cool-toned palette--full of teals, coppers, and dusty greens--adds to the atmosphere, giving the attic world a muted glow that feels both forgotten and full of potential. The perspective shifts and textured lines bring Emmie's world to life with energy and wit. The illustrations brim with mechanical marvels and visual riddles, and the story hints at broader ideas: that even long-held assumptions, like cats and mice being enemies, can be reimagined through curiosity, creativity, and a little kindness". - Shelf Awareness

"Detailed illustrations with fine, sometime cross-hatch line work and delicate shading give an inviting depth to various scenes, and small vignettes in unbordered panels balance nicely with full spreads to build tension. Burgeoning solo and more sophisticated readers will chuckle at the punny book titles stacked throughout the attic, while little viewers will appreciate the multitude of Emmie's innovative inventions on display." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The entertaining tale is bursting with empathy and creativity, and Emmie's mechanical creations are a wonder. Incredibly detailed illustrations let readers in on the nuts and bolts of the inventions, featuring close-ups of her schemes and schematics. It's impossible not to smile at the marvelous minutiae; a cocktail umbrella functioning as a mouse-sized parachute just makes sense. An enormously empathetic exploration of the creative process and the gift of giving second chances. " - Booklist