He worries, however, that he will not have anything to share at the family's celebration – while his sister and cousins plan to sing a song, read a poem, or present a scrapbook, he has not prepared anything yet.

In an interview with The Philadelphia Tribune, the author Kelly Starling Lyons said that she decided to write the book after she visited Colquitt, Georgia, for a family gathering at the home of her husband's grandmother.

Minter, a native of Ellaville, Georgia, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that his memories of growing up in the small community inspired his illustrations.

Michelle H. Martin, a scholar of children's literature, wrote that the text "employs language that echoes the lives of generations past while it celebrates the here-ness and now-ness of the land's contemporary inhabitants", pointing in particular to the story told by Alan's father on the tractor ride.

[2][4] Adinkra symbols that represent various concepts in Ghanaian culture were incorporated in the image backgrounds throughout the book using large stamps that Minter created.

[2] Additional visual symbols in the illustrations that are evocative of Africa include okra and the cowrie shell earrings and cornrows of Alan's great-grandmother.

In a review for the School Library Journal, Lauren Strohecker described it as a "moving celebration of familial love, history, and tradition", writing that Lyons's text and Minter's illustrations were particularly effective together.

[4] In a review of the audiobook, Sharon Grover of AudioFile praised Edwards's "folksy speech pattern and a cadence reminiscent of the rural South" as well as the background music and sound effects of tractors and silverware, but suggested that listeners would also want to have a print copy of the book to view Minter's illustrations.

[6] Rosie Camargo, reviewing for Booklist, similarly applauded Edwards's voice as "clear and soothing" and felt that he was a good fit for the character of Alan.