The "Los Angeles Times" film reviewer Charles Solomon in assessing "Here Come the Littles", said, "boasts an international pedigree more complicated—and interesting—than its storyline." In his "Movie Guide", Leonard Maltin gave it 1½ stars out of four and called it a "silly, boring animated effort". Likewise, the "Blockbuster Entertainment Guide to Videos and Movies" (1999) gave it two stars, and recommended it "for fans of the "Littles" book series only". Jerry Beck, in his "Animated Movie Guide", gave it only one star and commented: "The film raises issues of homelessness, the loss of parents, and the importance of family and friends, in a mild, one-dimensional way." Along with Russell, he criticized the "bland style" of the animation, which was outsourced in Japan.