It appeared on numerous year-end "best of" publication lists, including those of The Horn Book Magazine, Kirkus Reviews, and Publishers Weekly.

The book opens in spring, when a young indigenous girl named Katherena and her mother leave their home by the sea and move into a countryside residence.

[3][4] Professor Gregory Bryan of the University of Manitoba interpreted the seasonal passage of time as "the renewal of the cycle of life" and argued that the same was true for the changing connection between Katherena and Agnes.

[4] The book makes use of digital compositions that employ pencils and pastel colours, and are prominently characterized by Flett's minimalist art style.

[3] In an article published in The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Kate Quealy-Gainer commended its artwork, which she described as "both flattened and textured with subdued tones that follow the changing seasons accordingly".

[1] Giving the book a three-out-of-five-stars score, Bryan acknowledged the "enticing illustrations [and] sweet lyrical prose", and the portrayal of intergenerational friendship.

[4] Publishers Weekly regarded the book as a "subtle, sensitive story" that describes themes of maturation and loss through art, time, and friendship.

[2] Calling the book "simple and profound", Laken Hotten of School Library Journal notes the message that "a new friend can make a new place feel like home".