[3] Alex O'Connell of The Times praised The Bench for its illustrations but stated it lacked "a good story and basic rhythm" and remarked its readability targeted "needy" parents rather than young children.

[5] Sarah Dawson of The Independent dubbed it a "sweet, calming bedtime read" that was "unlikely to win any literary awards" and also noted its appeal to adults rather than children.

[6] Writing for The Telegraph, Claire Allfree found The Bench a "series of imperatives disguised as loving verse", and criticized its grammar and "generic" storyline.

[7] Emily Phillips from the Evening Standard gave plaudits for the book's "soft rhymes and gentle watercolours", and praised its relatability to diverse families.

[8] Rosita Boland for The Irish Times praised Robinson's watercolor depictions as "lovely" but labelled the Duchess's writing "extremely disjointed".