School Library Journal Starred Review (Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2010)

PreS-Gr 2 A charming tale of creativity and discovery. When Gregory draws a lion in the sand, his father suggests that it needs a tail and a name. As the child begins making a tail with a stick, Dad reminds him, "Don't go into the water, and don't leave Sandy." Although Gregory does not go into the water, his interpretation of not leaving Sandy is highly suspect. As he continues to draw the tail, it leads him a long way down the beach. Gregory winds it around a purple jellyfish, a sandcastle, a horseshoe crab, and more, until he reaches a jetty. He turns around and has lost sight of Dad, but fortunately is clever enough to follow the tail back past his landmarks, until he finds part of Sandy, whose body has been washed away. Gregory is happy and relieved to see his father sitting under the blue umbrella on the dolphin towel. The pastel illustrations use a soft, muted palette and have a grainy, beachlike feel to them. Cooper does an outstanding job of using perspective to underscore the immensity of the beach and sea. Gregory's facial expressions are full of wonder and curiosity as he finds small discoveries during his adventure. A wonderful summer tale to share one-on-one or with a group. Anne Beier, Hendrick Hudson Free Library, Montrose, NY

ALA Booklist (Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

The titular tail refers here to a lion drawn in the sand by Gregory, an intrepid boy who, in extending the tail with a stick, winds up exploring a broad length of beach without quite disobeying his dad's directive to not wander away. As the boy goes further and further, he comes across such common seaside sights as a jellyfish, a crumbling sand castle, a horseshoe crab, and a ghost crab. Finally realizing the distance he has traveled, he traces his tail, with its swirls and zigzags, back past the objects he has found. Williams, who always takes readers on a worthwhile journey, accentuates her straightforward telling with the repetitive sounds of the shore ("Swish-swoosh"), which also punctuate Gregory's embellishments of the long tail. Cooper's warm, peachy-brown palette splendidly evokes the seaside setting, and his talent for expressive faces and texture (he won the 2009 Coretta Scott King Award for The Blacker the Berry) works to draw in viewers. A lovely collaboration suited for every collection.

Kirkus Reviews

While Greg and his dad enjoy a beach day, Dad sets two rules: "Don't go in the water / and don't leave Sandy," a lion Greg has drawn in the sand. As the little boy continues drawing the lion's tail, he discovers myriad items along the shore. Williams's rhythmic, onomatopoeic Swish-swoosh of the waves and the clear, descriptive text transport readers into Greg's experiences, which range from spotting a "gooey purple jellyfish" to watching a "tiny ghost crab / scurry sideways into his dark, round hole." Cooper's mastery with pastels results in a grainy, sun-washed effect that conjures a hot seaside day. Most stunning are the endearing, intimate close-ups of Greg immersed in artistic play. Children will relate to his adventure, which pivots on the moment he realizes he has lost sight of his dad. But a winning combination of good memory and self-reliance lead to a most satisfactory ending. Scoop up this tale for its strength as a unique beach story and for its warm portrayal of an African-American son and father enjoying the outdoors. (Picture book. 3-6)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

At the beach with his father, Greg strays from his beach umbrella, but stays calm and remembers the two things Dad told him: “Don’t go in the water, and don’t leave Sandy.” Sandy is a lion Greg has drawn in the sand, and because Greg hasn’t lifted the stick with which he has drawn Sandy’s long, long tail (circling, as he goes, a jellyfish, a horseshoe crab, and other beachside marvels), he’s able to retrace his steps to find his father, who’s delighted to see him. Cooper (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">The Blacker the Berry) draws a startlingly real Greg in a series of tight closeups; readers will feel they can reach out and touch him. Grainy pastel and washed-out color evoke the seashore’s bleached palette, while Greg’s reverent attention to the treasures he finds is the focus of every page. The representation of an African-American father and child in a nonurban setting is welcome, while Williams’s (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Four Feet, Two Sandals) even pacing and soothing text reassure children without losing momentum. Most valuable, though, is Williams’s belief in Greg and his resourcefulness; quiet satisfaction pervades his story. Ages 3–7. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Feb.)