Aleena of the Lantern

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Category:	Children
Author:	Michael A Chapman
Publisher:	Melrose Books
Price:	£13.99
ISBN:	9781906050252
Pages:	132
Reviewed in issue:	9

An enchanting story told in the true tradition of fairy tales, interwoven with wonderful tales of myths and legends. Much of the book is realistically narrated through the characters, and written as descriptive passages. These are done so beautifully, that there’s no need for more dialogue, as the story moves along quickly.

The story begins when Aleena, a young peasant girl, is drawn into the spooky Gleaming Forest Of Lost Souls. Queen Goodwende protects Aleena by casting a spell on her, which turns her into a firefly when she’s in danger. But poor Aleena is caught by Tayne, an evil lantern maker, and used to light one of his special lanterns. When Tayne visits Kalamar, the village Blacksmith, his son Kenelm is enthralled by the special lantern, and must have it at any cost. Kenelm travels to the Land of Farbeyond to become Tayne’s apprentice, and there the friendship between Kenelm and Aleena blossoms.

I particularly enjoyed reading the stories of the royal family, the dragons and the simple folk of Farbeyond, who had been blighted by a terrible misfortune.

I think children in the 9+ age group would enjoy this book, but I’m not sure if adults would find it engaging enough. If you like fantasy, the cover itself, will probably be enough to entice you to buy this nicely presented book.

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