"The ingenious book design plays up the feel of an artist's sketchbook, and the spare pencil sketches (with even the artist's erasures in evidence) on a beige background give readers the feeling of peering over the artist's shoulder. The drawings introduce young Ann and Ben, outlined in the expressive line that Harold fans will recognize immediately. … Maurice Sendak, a close friend of Johnson and his wife, Ruth Krauss, contributes an insightful “appreciation," and the afterword quotes a letter from Johnson describing the tale's debt to the Fisher King. Like all great stories, this one stretches well beyond the pages."
     —Publishers Weekly

"[A] sly reflection on the power of words and the line between real and imaginary worlds. ... The deceptively simple story has undeniable child appeal. ..."
     —School Library Journal

"Like the imaginative play of children, the book is mysterious and unexpected but always true to its own inner logic. ... The book itself is beautifully designed and produced, making it a pleasure to handle as well as read. I think Crockett Johnson would approve."
     —Horn Book


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 "The ingenious book design plays up the feel of an artist's sketchbook, and the spare pencil sketches (with even the artist's erasures in evidence) on a beige background give readers the feeling of peering over the artist's shoulder. The drawings introduce young Ann and Ben, outlined in the expressive line that Harold fans will recognize immediately. … Maurice Sendak, a close friend of Johnson and his wife, Ruth Krauss, contributes an insightful “appreciation," and the afterword quotes a letter from Johnson describing the tale's debt to the Fisher King. Like all great stories, this one stretches well beyond the pages."
     —Publishers Weekly

"[A] sly reflection on the power of words and the line between real and imaginary worlds. ... The deceptively simple story has undeniable child appeal. ..."
     —School Library Journal

"Like the imaginative play of children, the book is mysterious and unexpected but always true to its own inner logic. ... The book itself is beautifully designed and produced, making it a pleasure to handle as well as read. I think Crockett Johnson would approve."
     —Horn Book

"A handsomely packaged artifact for adult readers of children’s literature."
     —Kirkus Reviews

"Bracketed by two insightful, informative gems for Johnson fans, a two-page ‘appreciation‘ by Maurice Sendak and a four-page afterword on the book’s history by Phillip Nel, this handsome book is clearly aimed at adults as much as children. But whoever the audience, there is magic to be found in the words and sketches of Crockett Johnson."
     —Booklist

"Toys with the line between storytelling and reality, and while the "Beach" text is appealing , it's the incomplete illustrations that are particularly enticing. Any child who knows Harold will recognize the characters on these pages, and the sketches, in which tentative lines and erasures are visible, show changes of mind that make one meditate on how illustrators do their work."
     —Newsday (Long Island, NY) -- Kidsday, Fun, Games & Stuff

"Beautifully reproduced so that its magic can be appreciated today. Thought-provoking text. The handsomely designed binding suggests the quality of the story along with the care that has brought it back to life."
     —Children's Literature