When planning the book, Ed Young believed that the story would work better with pictures if the blind men were instead small animals exploring the elephant.

Horn Book's review praised the art, "where the brightly colored mice cavort against black backgrounds", and called the elephant's design "striking".

[2] A review for the School Library Journal also praised the book's art, saying the collage was "vibrant", and its use on a completely black background resulted in a "strong visual impact.

"[3] Publishers Weekly called Seven Blind Mice a "stunning celebration of color" , and also noted how the sparse use of text allows for "greater exploration and enjoyment of the artwork".

[4] Kirkus Reviews called Young's retelling of the blind men and an elephant through the use of collage "innovative" and commented on the "dramatic black ground" in which the illustrations and text are superimposed against.