★ "Intricate details will draw novice readers back to the pages, while more experienced readers will find a treasure trove of biographical sources compiled by McDaniel . . . here's thoughtfulness here in the craft and pacing of her prose, certainly; reverence, too, inthe textured layers of Harrison's mixed-media and visual storytelling. But more than anything, simplecare is evident. Care for a Black librarian who sought out every gap a tale could bridge, who shattered barriers to ensure Black children would see themselves on library shelves, and whose legacy continues to this day exactly as it began--in the thrall of good stories." --
Kirkus, starred review
★ "Brimming with color and texture, Harrison's illustrations incorporate acrylics, pen, and mixed-media collage elements that bestow a pleasing three-dimensional look to the scenes . . . Appended with a time line, sources, and author's note, this makes a worthy addition to library collections." --
Booklist, starred review
★ "[A] glowing account of legendary storytelling librarian Baker . . . Harrison's intricate mixed-media collages employ shifting scale to bring to life this vital history of a vital figure." --
Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ "McDaniel gives an account of Baker's life that is as celebratory as the heroes in her folktales, attesting that Baker internalized the message that 'where there's a will, there's a way'. Harrison's exuberant mixed-media collage illustrations capture the vibrancy of both the storyteller and her stories, creating worlds and words that leap off pages." --
Horn Book, starred review
★ "A blissful walk around the imagination for anyone who has ever been told, or has listened to, a transporting piece of storytelling . . . the colors, books, titles, typeface, faces, people, streets, and words that overflow these pages work intandem with the text to celebrate a life in stories and a life in service to others. An essential purchase not to be missed." --
School Library Journal, starred review
