Publisher's Weekly, November 8, 1999, Starred Review:
"Crimi and Munsinger are in perfect sync in this slyly funny and deeply touching story. . . Crimi's tight, deft prose mines Dog and Rat's petulance for all its comedy and poignancy, while Munsinger offers up yet another memorable cast of all-too-human animals."
Horn Book, November/December, 1999:
"In a story tailor-made for Oscar the Grouch fans, Rat gives up on friendship after his best friend, Possum, moves to another junkyard: "Don't need friends, don't need 'em at all." The other junkyard animals try to exchange pleasantries with Rat, but he's rude to everyone, including the new guy, Dog. . .soon the two are friends, a transformation humorously and believable conveyed in a fine melding of art and text. The book neatly avoids sentimentality and closes with Rat's nifty new credo: 'Don't need many friends. . .Just need one."
