Lob by Linda Newbery

Lucy loves spending time with Grandpa Will in his garden. He passes on his knowledge of gardening and the natural world. But most of all, Lucy loves Grandpa Will's stories of Lob,  a 'Greenman' who choses his person and stays with them to help in all their chores, making certain the garden is productive and happy. All the other adults in Lucy's life discourage Lucy from believing Grandpa Will's stories, but she and Grandpa know they're more than that. They've seen Lob...just glimpses of him, but Lucy knows he's there. When Grandpa Will dies suddenly, Lucy's sorrow is unimaginable. She misses her Grandpa so much, and she wonders what will become of Lob. Lucy wants Lob to choose her as his new person.

This is a charming, beautiful story of love and loss set against a background of gardening and the natural world. Never heavy-handed, it delivers quite a number of poignant messages. Newbery's gentle writing style delivers not only this, but a heart-warming, delightful tale of belief and the bond between the generations. The pen and ink illustrations through out add to this wonderful work of children's fiction for 7 to 10 years.

Reviewed by Mary Esther Judy