"The narrative doesn't adhere strictly to the traditional rhyme scheme, giving it enough originality to keep it fresh and amusing. Carlton's delightful watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations are perfectly matched to Sturgis's playful story. From the smallest of background details to extreme close-ups, the cartoon style and bright colors are sure to catch and hold young readers' attention."
----School Library Journal
“The Lake Where Loon Lives is a complete adaptation of the old story poem "This Is the House Where Jack Lives." Instead of Jack, the main character is a fearless, sedate Mama loon and her two baby chicks. The rest of the story concerns a fly, a fish, a boy, a lake, a struggle, and a peaceful resolution on a lovely, moonlit lake. Spectacular, original, wacky watercolor paintings fully express all the drama contained in The Lake Where Loon Lives. Whoever heard of annoying flies that practice a trumpet, or a Mama Loon who wears a flowered hat and has tea from a camp stove, or a pair of loon chicks who water ski? If you can imagine it, the loony pictures of The Lake Where Loon Lives will evoke it, hilariously! Exciting vocabulary melds with familiar verse patterns and tell the highly unlikely story filled with splashy adventures of The Lake Where Loon Lives. The scenery of rural Maine informs and pervades this charming book by two very talented, creative individuals."
----Midwest Book Review
"Filled with a energy that will capture readers’ attention from the get-go, this delightful story celebrates the cacophony of loons, mixing with chattering chicks, snapping fish and buzzing flies . . . An ode to summer and all things outdoor, this picturesque picture book pays tribute to the symphony of nature and all its wonderful sounds."
----The Talking Walnut blog