"[A] tender story of an aging dragon of a diva and her great-grandchild. . . . Children will best appreciate this nostalgic journey when accompanied by a doting loved one."--Kirkus Reviews

"It's easy . . . to write books about fun grandmothers. . . . Introducing a sharp-tongued, disagreeable grandmother is more difficult. But Nelson pulls it off. . . . By book's end, perceptive readers will see this 96-year-old as a multilayered woman who has experienced joy and tears."--Booklist

"Nelson (The Book Itch) sensitively conveys the complexity of intergenerational relationships while celebrating a grandmother whose individuality hasn't diminished one iota over the years."--Publishers Weekly

"Nelson seems at first to be offering a character study, but it becomes something more when . . . [an] intergenerational exchange prompts a sort of laying on of hands. . . . Zunon's illustrations . . . create a stage for the queenly central character."--The Horn Book Magazine

"The story's perspective is from the child, who finds her great-grandmother 'scary' but also intriguing, outspoken, and glamorous. Zunon's lively, colorful illustrations balance the serious tone of the text with warmth and saturation. . . . An appealing intergenerational story."--School Library Journal

"Vaunda Nelson spells out neither Nell's past, nor the message of the book, allowing readers the best ending: a conversation about what makes us who we are, and the pleasure of loving difficult people."--NPR Books' Best Books of 2016