... Lombardi's expressive illustrations and straightforward dialogue together deliver a benevolent, breezy tale... a sweet story about a boy and a dog rescuing each other.
Kirkus
“Using soft colors, great expressions, and just enough detail, Lombardi’s illustrations perfectly capture the emotions among the animals and humans alike. The slew of grumpy animals—hedgehog, turtle, lizard, hamster—featured on the endpapers are a fun touch. This book will resonate with those animal lovers of all stripes and is a good way to start a discussion on what makes pets grumpy and how to act around them.”
School Library Journal
“Lombardi’s pencil-and-chalk illustrations are wonderfully expressive and empathetic. The cover features a charming array of frowning faces that will be a magnet for young readers. Some drawings portray scenes of cute kids, kittens, and puppies, but the glaring and narrow-eyed staring from the grumpy group will really tickle audiences. This lovely story begs to be read aloud, and it will resonate with animal lovers as well as with readers who have ever had a few (or more) grumpy moments of their own."
Booklist
Billy’s permafrown worries his mother. She takes him to an animal rescue to find a pet, but the cuteness leaves him cold. Feeling left out, he follows the growls and hisses to the back. An array of ornery pets awaits, including the dog of his dreams, a glum wiry-haired fellow with downward-tilting eyebrows like Billy’s. With pastel illustrations as winningly shaggy as her heroes, Lombardi (“Lovey Bunny”) strikes a blow for the littlest grouches — and the overlooked rescue pets who need them.
New York Times