When peace comes to the kingdom of Sumar, a poor young soldier named Michael finds himself alone in the world, with no home, and no means of support. But his kindness to an old man in the forest is rewarded, and he soon finds himself the possessor of a magical lantern, whose blue light summons a powerful spirit, ready to obey his commands. With food in his belly, and money in his pocket, Michael is content, until the day he sees the king's daughter, and falls hopelessly in love. Now he will need the Spirit of the Blue Light more than ever...

The tale of the poor soldier who marries the king's daughter can be found in many folk traditions, and I was conscious, while reading Marianna Mayer's The Spirit of the Blue Light, of a distinct sense of familiarity. Although no attribution is given, it is clear that Mayer drew from the Brothers Grimm tale, Das blaue Licht. I'm at a loss, really, to understand why no mention is made of source material, as someone unfamiliar with the fairy-tale might mistakenly conclude that this was an original story by Mayer.

My annoyance at such an omission might have led me to give this title two stars, despite the capable narrative, if I weren't such an admirer of the illustrator, Hungarian-born László Gál. His lovely tempera paintings are always a pleasure to behold, and this was no exception. The color scheme is somewhat muted, but the contrast between his red and blue shades, and his use of shadow, creates a real sense of depth and mystery. Two stars for the (uncredited) story, and four for the marvelous illustrations, gives us a three-star book... ( )