Lob

Lucy and Grandpa Will share a secret – they are the only ones in their family who see Lob ‘a wild thing who wouldn’t let himself be caught or touched, or even stared at for long’, an ancient being who helps gardens to grow. When everything changes, Lob sets off to find a new ‘special person’ and the reader follows his journey through the seasons alongside Lucy’s adjustment to life without her beloved grandfather.

The text is interwoven with subtle black and white illustrations, enabling readers to decide if they too can glimpse Lob. The novel is inspired by Edward Thomas’s poem of the same name and the narrative is interspersed with poetic interludes highlighted in an enlarged font. The story draws deeply on folklore, especially the legend of the Green Man and his association with seasonal death and rebirth. The strong environmental theme of the book makes it ideal for cross curricular work.