In Philippa Pearce's Tom's Midnight Garden … the idea that time has no barriers was embodied in nearly perfect literary form. No loose ends, no inconsistencies mar the book. Miss Pearce can explain with few words but great conviction such supernatural events as Tom's passing through a closed door or the actual process of a room's transformation from its unfamiliar past appearance to its familiar present. Tom's acceptance of the fact that he can enjoy a garden that had existed long before his birth and friendship with a girl who had played in the garden more than half a century before is wholly believable. The book is a model of what can be done with an intricate theme by a writer endowed with literary style, understanding of children, and a clear insight into her own vision. (p. 477)

Ruth Hill Viguers, "Worlds without Boundaries: Literary Fairy Tales and Fantasy," in...