Newbery has stepped into timelessness with her short novel, ostensibly for middle-grade readers, entitled LOB (2010). It is a charming retelling of the Green Man legend, rich and playfully reinterpreted, which also has a contemporary thread

An exquisite novel for the more sensitive seven to nine-year-olds

One of the most gifted writers around must surely be Linda Newbery and Lob, her latest novel for younger readers, is the kind of book that will inspire in children a deep love of nature and in adults a yearning for the wonderment of childhood

Linda Newbery tells her story beautifully, evoking empathy and emotion without ever straying into sentimentality

The mystical and beautiful fable is one of my favourite titles of this year

I found I was thinking about it long after I'd turned the final page, because it's wonderful . . . It's a wonderful story of trusting and believing in the unknown and keeping a legacy alive. You'll remember to look for Lob whenever you hear a rustling of leaves behind you

There is something intensely comforting about this book that I'm sure parents will enjoy as well as children. Especially if they are gardeners!

Newbery holds the reader with her endearing characters, evocative scene-setting and poetic language . . . An uplifting, enchanting book

There's something timeless about this lovely story, not only in its theme, which links us back to generations past, but also in the telling of it: elegant, sedate, beautifully crafted, filled with a warm kind of hope and old-fashioned charm

Lob will sneak under the skin of cynical early teens

A tale told as much by Pam Smy's black and white line drawings as by Newbery's quiet, bright, clear prose. The book belongs in that English tradition of writing for children in which relationships, time and nature are explored through gardens

Very young gardeners will love Lob, by Linda Newbery, the story of Lucy, Grandpa Will and the mysterious green man who lives in his garden

[Linda's] eponymous Lob, made of rain and wind, of time gone and time waiting, embodies regeneration

Laced with poems, and beautifully illustrated, this is a magical story of believing in the unknown

This book kept catching my eye in bookstores . . . The writing, as well as the illustrations, bring the story to life beautifully. . . Lucky is unforgettable.

There were some genius twists that kept me guessing at the ending. There’s no way I could have ever predicted the last chapters. They were heartbreaking, yet hopeful, and so beautiful . . . HIGHLY recommended for any sci-fi fans, fantasy fans, out there - and also anybody who wants a new favourite book.

It is layered with depth and meaning right from the get go . . . These multilayered themes and ideas, reinforced by strong characterisation, make this book shine . . . The result is a touching, meaningful story for children and adults alike.