Moralistic yet charming fairy tale of a young king who brings happiness to his kingdom by teaching them to care for flowers (and the earth and each other).

The Land of the Blue Flower by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a short sweet fairy tale by the author of The Secret Garden and A Little Princess. It's the sort of morality tale often written to instruct children 100 years ago, and it would probably be long out of print if it had been written by a less well-know author. My copy dates from 1913, and I was surprised to find, when I checked on Amazon, that it was still available. It might appeal to fans of books like The Little Prince or The Alchemist, though it doesn't have the depth of either of those, but it is definitely a period piece.

Young Prince Amor is born to rule a troubled kingdom called Mordreth's Land. His father is dead, and his mother the Queen dies shortly after he is born, entrusting him to a wise man called the Ancient One. The Ancient One takes him away from the city and raises him alone on a mountaintop, where he learns the spiritual value of connecting with the natural world. The birds bring him a wonderful blue flower, which he raises in his garden. When he grows up and takes his rightful place as king, he brings the blue flower with him, and uses it to change the lives of his unhappy subjects.

This story is heartwarming, but slight, and it would definitely benefit from illustrations. What I found most interesting about it were its echoes in Burnett's other works, especially The Secret Garden, where growing flowers also transforms a child's life and that of those around her. This story gives several of Burnett's commonest messages -- the value of nature, and the uselessness of negative emotions --in a straightforward way. Not a book to search for, but a quick, pleasant read if you come across it. ( )