In this grave and beautiful piece of writing in traditional storyteller's style [The Squirrel Wife], magic rises naturally from the impulses of generous or unkind temperaments, with love and loyalty given full value in the working out of the fortunes of two brothers. Philippa Pearce shows no trace of uneasiness in following the patterns, in rhythm and vocabulary, of the fairy-tale tradition which she is not imitating so much as continuing with complete confidence. Like Hans Andersen, she has put human emotion and human values in the forefront of a tale that has its own strong magic.

Margery Fisher, "Legend and Fairy Tale: 'The Squirrel Wife'," in her Growing Point, Vol. 10, No. 6, December, 1971, p. 1852.