"Unexpected and delightful. Matias serves up a playful slice-of-life tale that bubbles with heart and gentle humor. A vibrant, bighearted account of a child's first forays into independence." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"[A] sparkling children's debut from Matias. The creators convey bustling, life-giving bursts of sight, sound, taste, and smell." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A cozy step back into the past with a visual style reminiscent of Ezra Jack Keats, this book is sure to be a conversation-starter and a hit for story time." -- School Library Journal (starred review)

"Set in the not-too-distant past, when kids could call loved ones from pay phones, this vibrant tale that began as a Times Metropolitan Diary entry celebrates Matias's 'first taste of sweet independence.'" -- New York Times Book Review

"An amiable view of a kid's routine in a bustling, friendly city neighborhood. An author's note reveals this charming tale as [the author's] own childhood experience, when a quarter in a pocket and a pay phone on the corner meant independence for a kid." -- ALA Booklist

"Full of independence and responsibility, but not completely immune to temptation, Ernesto may be a child of the '90s, but the essence of his story is timeless." -- BookPage

"Many details are snapshots of decades past, but the themes in the tender narrative are timeless." -- The Horn Book