Critical reactions to The Miss Firecracker Contest have been mixed. Among the favorable reactions is a 1994 English Studies article that praises The Miss Firecracker Contest for the "depths in even the most objectionable characters and the enormous toughness in some of life's apparent losers." Furthermore, the article asserts that Henley "puts most faith in friendship . . . Brutal conditions cannot destroy their victims as long as emotional support comes from somewhere."

In contrast, Harry Bowman, writing for the Dallas Morning News declared that The Miss Firecracker Contest has no heart and no point. The reviewer found the characters to be "strange and weird" caricatures who fail to become human. "Carnelle becomes just another simpleton. And not a very appealing one at that. She has a strident edge that keeps snagging on the viewer's sensibilities." Patrick Taggert, the reviewer for the Austin American-Statesman, admits that "You either love [Henley's...