Donelson, Ken. "Performance and Good Intentions: Novels by Alice Childress."

ALAN Review 9 (Winter 1982): 4, 6-7.

Discusses three of Childress's novels, including A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich, in terms of the importance of characters actually carrying out their good intentions. It also surveys the critical response that her books have received.

Hill, Elbert R. "AHero for the Movies." In Children's Novels and the Movies, edited by Douglas Street. New York: Frederick Ungar, 1983. Discusses the novel itself, then compares it to the 1978 motion picture.

"Review." Publishers Weekly 204 (August 6, 1973): 65. Favorable review of the novel.

Sloan, Glenna Davis. The Child as Critic.

New York: Teacher's College Press, 1975. Sloan applies Northrop Frye's plot structure analyses to children's books in chapter 4.

Sutherland, Zena. "Review." Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 27 (February 1974): 91. A favorable review that notes the effectiveness of Childress's dramatic approach.