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Liesl & Po
Liesl & Po
Liesl & Po
Audiobook5 hours

Liesl & Po

Written by Lauren Oliver

Narrated by Jim Dale

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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About this audiobook

From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver comes a luminous novel that glows with rare magic, ghostly wonders, and a true friendship that lights even the darkest of places. An E. B. White Read-Aloud Honor Book, it’s perfect for fans of the author’s other middle grade novels: The Spindlers and the Curiosity House series.

Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice—until one night a ghost named Po appears from the darkness.

That same evening, an alchemist's apprentice named Will makes an innocent mistake that has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperCollins
Release dateOct 4, 2011
ISBN9780062111197
Author

Lauren Oliver

Lauren Oliver is the cofounder of media and content development company Glasstown Entertainment, where she serves as the President of Production. She is also the New York Times bestselling author of the YA novels Replica, Vanishing Girls, Panic, and the Delirium trilogy: Delirium, Pandemonium, and Requiem, which have been translated into more than thirty languages. The film rights to both Replica and Lauren's bestselling first novel, Before I Fall, were acquired by Awesomeness Films. Before I Fall was adapted into a major motion picture starring Zoey Deutch. It debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017, garnering a wide release from Open Road Films that year. Oliver is a 2012 E. B. White Read-Aloud Award nominee for her middle-grade novel Liesl & Po, as well as author of the middle-grade fantasy novel The Spindlers and The Curiosity House series, co-written with H.C. Chester. She has written one novel for adults, Rooms. Oliver co-founded Glasstown Entertainment with poet and author Lexa Hillyer. Since 2010, the company has developed and sold more than fifty-five novels for adults, young adults, and middle-grade readers. Some of its recent titles include the New York Times bestseller Everless, by Sara Holland; the critically acclaimed Bonfire, authored by the actress Krysten Ritter; and The Hunger by Alma Katsu, which received multiple starred reviews and was praised by Stephen King as “disturbing, hard to put down” and “not recommended…after dark.” Oliver is a narrative consultant for Illumination Entertainment and is writing features and TV shows for a number of production companies and studios. Oliver received an academic scholarship to the University of Chicago, where she was elected Phi Beta Kappa. She received a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from New York University. www.laurenoliverbooks.com.

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Reviews for Liesl & Po

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    MY THOUGHTSABSOLUTELY LOVED ITLiesl is locked in the atticby her stepmother after her father's death and draws to fill her time. Po, a ghost, neither male nor female and Bundle, neither cat nor dog, visits her and said it has found her father on The Other Side and that he hasn't crossed over to the Beyond. Po will rely more messages if she draws for him. Through Po, Liesl finds strength and determination to escape from her prison and return her father's ashes to next to her mother so he can be at peace and move to the Beyond.Will, an orphan, has seen the girl in the attic from his many travels collecting materials and making deliveries for the Alchemist as his apprentice. He never imagines that their paths will cross but when he mixes up the ashes of Liesl's father with magic for the Lady Premier, their lives become dangerously intertwined. As they both escape from their horrible lives and find their way to deliver the ashes to a restful place, more intrigue and danger meet then head on.What an amazing book and wonderful story in the vein of The Tales of the Desperaux. This is easily a story that can be read aloud by parents to their children for them to truly enjoy together. Yes, it is a ghost story but nothing that should scare the younger readers and it should open the door for some interesting discussions about death. Oliver has create a timeless tale and is a beautiful remembrance for the passing of a friend.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    When I picked up Liesl & Po, I expected good things. The cover was perfect, the author one of my favorites, and I settled down into my sofa, prepared to thoroughly enjoy myself.What I didn’t expect was to be drawn in and completely surrounded by magic. From the very first introduction of Liesl, to the boy looking in the window and the screwy mix-up, I was enchanted. I felt like I was reading something that was special – and special it was.I’ve been on a good run of books lately – I struggled recently with a dry-spell in my reading, and when I picked up a book to break it I was lucky enough to read this one. I firmly believe the magic in this book has touched everything I’ve read since – and the list is slowly racking up.Liesl & Po is a story of letting go of those gone, of being brave in the face of immense danger, of accepting what might not be the “norm”, and of looking for friendly faces where there was once thought to be only hostile. It’s a beautiful, beautiful novel and one I highly recommend for the middle graders, teens, and adults in your life.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Charming and inventive, but shows its youth. The text is a little immature (repetition, run-on sentences, etc), and the story borders on twee. I enjoyed the characters quite a bit, especially dear Mo with his cat and his hot chocolate. Good for fans of Kat, Incorrigible, The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place and books by Lemony Snicket.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Quite ineffable. :)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a cute book. Middle grade fantasy/paranormal. I can see how it is written for children 9-12 years old. I think my oldest might read it.Liesl is a little girl who has lost her parents and is kept in an attic by her step mother. Po is a ghost who begins to visit her. He has an animal named Bundle. Will is an orphan who works for an alchemist who has been trying to make magic (by stealing sunlight). Will admires Liesl from a far.Liesl's father dies and she wants to take his ashes to her childhood home to bury him. Po helps her escape. Will and Liesl meet up as she is trying to bring her father to his resting place and Will is trying to escape the alchemist because of a mistake he made while delivering something the alchemist has made.It is interesting how there are many characters introduced and eventually they all collide as part of the story towards the end.Oliver has, once again, done a great job with her writing.The one thing that bothered me about this book is the fact that you don't know exactly what year it's set in. It almost seems steampunk in a way, but it's never actually stated that it is in the 1800s or early 1900s. Yet the clothing description reminds me of these times.I give the book a 4/5.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Ironically in the very last chapter, it is mentioned to be "Opposites Day". Well, it actually is "Opposites Day" while I am writing this review. Weird, right?!This book is so much fun to read. Whether you're a kid or an adult, you will fall in love with the characters, and feel a need to read as the story progresses with much action, adventure and mystery.I flew through this story, I really just couldn't get enough. And as I sit here now, thinking about it, I feel bad it didn't keep going.People are really going to love this magical adventure, I promise you that!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Liesl has been kept in the attic of her house ever since her father grew progressively sick and then died. Her stepmother Augusta hates her and keeps her there, feeding her meager meals and rarely allowing her to leave. Liesl draws to pass the time and does little else. Three days after her father’s death, she receives two unexpected visitors: a ghost named Po, who is neither a boy nor a girl, and his ghostly pet Bundle, who is neither a dog nor a cat. Po agrees to try to find her father on the other side in exchange for a drawing and discovers that her father wants to go home and only Liesl is left to undertake the journey. Liesl and Po’s journey will inevitably intertwine with Will’s. He’s an apprentice to a cruel alchemist and accidentally mixes up Liesl’s father’s ashes with the greatest magic ever created. Po and Liesl take this magic and embark on a wonderful and strange journey, with both friends and enemies following them, to take Liesl’s father to his proper resting place.Lauren Oliver opens the book with an explanation of the circumstances that led her to write the book: her best friend died and she wrote the book as way of coping with it. I can definitely see that reflected in the story and I feel that anyone who has lost a loved one can relate to it, not just children. Liesl’s situation locked in the attic of her own house is simply miserable and she goes through every robotically without any real excitement. Sunlight has also disappeared, leaving the world cold and gray. The lovely charcoal drawings illustrate this feeling wonderfully. This is a physical representation of Lauren Oliver’s own feelings in the months after her friend’s death. Liesl and Po’s journey to lay her father to rest is symbolic of anyone’s personal journey in accepting a death in their lives and saying goodbye to that person. I love that the setting and time period of the book is unspecified, so the reader can imagine it as wherever and whenever they like. Liesl and Po deals with death in a way that doesn’t talk down to children and acknowledges that children can (and have to) deal with death in their own lives. Although the tale is fairly dark, Lauren Oliver tempers it with humor, levity, magic, and unique characters. Liesl, Will, and Po’s unlikely friendship is delightful and they have their own very different personalities and states of being. They were all alone in the world and found solace in each other in the grayscale world they live in. Liesl is surprisingly creative and brave for a girl who unquestioningly stayed in the attic for so long. Po is an enigmatic being that seems to become more and more human as he stays in the living world. Will is an abused child and has insecurities as a result, but remains a good, loyal friend to Liesl. The other characters, namely the adults in the story besides Liesl’s father, are flat characters that are simply villainous. This aspect gives the story a fairy or folk tale feel that doesn’t take away from the story.I enjoyed Liesl and Po very much and found Lauren Oliver’s prose engaging and lyrical. Those who enjoyed Neil Gaiman’s Graveyard Book or Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events books would enjoy it as well.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Love the story, and listening to Jim Dale read it aloud, of course. The ending was a bit...Eh....but the characters are wonderful and the psychology excellent.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a very sweet read. I had downloaded a sample, and it hadn't moved me to buy. Right now, though, the e-book is $1.99, so I decided to give it a try. Glad I did!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    In a forward, Oliver explains to the reader that she wrote this book after the sudden death of her best friend. The world turned gray for her, and it took her months before she felt color and life come back. She re-envisioned her own journey as the story of the little girl Liesl, who lost her father.Eleven-year-old Liesl’s father had been hospitalized for a long time before he died; for Liesl, “the sun had not come out in 1,728 days.” Liesl hadn’t been allowed to see her father since he got sick; her stepmother Augusta had locked her in the attic. Hardly anyone knows she is there except an orphan boy, Will, who walks by her window at night and sees her drawing when he is out making deliveries for an alchemist. On the third night after her father died, a ghost appears to Liesl. Named Po, it has a child-sized shape, and is neither a girl nor a boy. It has a pet with it, neither a cat nor a dog, named Bundle. Po helps Liesl escape, and together with Will, the four embark on an adventure to take her father’s ashes back to the willow tree where Liesl’s mother is buried, so her father can be at peace. They are helped by Mo, a man with a big heart, whose “already enormous heart expanded even more, enough to enclose the two small children and hold them safely there forever.”Evaluation: This is a charming story that is really better than it sounds in the summary. If you have read Oliver’s other work, you already know she takes improbable sounding themes and turns them into magic, and in all her books, she shows how “love can open like a flower out of even the hardest places.” This book is intended for a middle grade audience.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    ARC provided by netGalleyLiesl lives in a attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother after her father passed away. She's all alone, until one night Po appears from the side beyond the grave. Will, an alchemist's apprentice, messes up an important delivery--the most powerful magic the world has ever known. Will, Liesl, and Po's paths intertwine one night and the world is never the same afterwards.While this was an interesting, and a somewhat engaging story, there were times where it made me want to rip my hair out. The author introduces seemingly random plot points that either have nothing to do with the story or everything to do with it, but without a lot of information. For example, we're told that Mo's sister is missing and it keeps being brought up until the author says something to the effect "but we won't discuss this anymore." Why did bring it up to begin with then? Or there's the case of the major plot point of the sun missing. All we're told is that it went missing, but nothing about when or why or is it gone everywhere...and then well its a pretty big plot point so I won't mention further.One of the things the author does well is give a lot of information about the characters. We can picture them clearly in our mind and know what they look like with glorious detail. Yet at times this is also a downfall to the writing. Every minor character, even the ones that we only see for two seconds, are described with such detail it led me to believe that I would see them again, after all why describe in such depth the person that you see on the street if they don't have a central part to the story? I know it sounds like a weird thing to mention, but it started cluttering my head up with characters that I would never see again and didn't need to care about to begin with.Perhaps I'm just not the right age for this book. Perhaps younger readers will just read and gloss over these things that bothered me. But, for me it's just not the right book. I'm glad to see it's the right book for others and I hope they'll be able to recommend it, but I just can't.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Really fun book!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    One night, shortly after the death of her beloved father, Liesl (a Cinderella-like young girl confined to an attic bedroom by a cruel stepmother) is visited by Po, a ghost. Drawn to her sad sweetness and her artistic talent, Po and his ghostly animal companion Bundle are soon caught up in a plan to help Liesl escape the attic and take the ashes of her dead father to the country home where Liesl's mother is buried. Po is not the only one who has been drawn to Leisl's sweetness: Will, an apothecary's apprentice, has noticed her face at the attic window and dreamed of meeting her. When their paths cross on the way out of the city, the three children (two corporeal, one ghostly) find themselves caught up in a larger adventure than they ever expected.I thought the writing was strong in this story, but the plot was weak. There are too many coincidences, and too many people who behave in unbelievable ways in order to ensure they are in the right place at the right time, plot-wise (for instance, there is an old woman on a train who apparently decides that Liesl is a menace to society because Liesl appears to be talking to herself, and so the old woman manages to convince a police officer to accompany her in a cross-country chase to catch the girl. It's necessary to the plot that the police officer be at the denouement, but it doesn't make sense to me that he would allow himself to be caught up in the chase for a child who has not broken any laws). I can see how some children might enjoy this story (it has courageous children and evil grown-ups and lots of adventure and danger), but mature fantasy readers will probably find that there are just too many plot holes to fall into.I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Jim Dale, who has just the right sort of voice for this type of story. While I don't much care for his interpretation of the Harry Potter books, I thought he did well by this one.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I understand why this book was so well liked. A host of interesting characters, some evil, some helpfully good, a lonely young girl who grieves her father while she is alone in the attic where her nasty stepmother placed her. Then, she notices a shadow and next to that shadow is a cat or a dog figure accompanying the ghost with the name of Po.Pleading with Po to help her communicate with her father, Po agrees to try. Enter a nasty alchemist who also holds a young person hostage. Will happens to watch Liesel from her lonely attic window. He wonders is she might like him and find something special about him. Verbally, emotionally abused by adults, both Will and Leisel find a way to escape. Then, another near do well grown up known as "the lady premier," wants something that the alchemist had, but the magical box was lost by Oliver.A lot of characters, and a lot of action might lend for a confusing story, but the author is excellent with character development while rendering the story magical and mystical.This is an excellent YA book that appeals to young and older alike.Four Stars.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This was my second attempt at Liesl & Po. Earlier, I abandoned it after just a chapter or two, but Wendy gently reminded me that she had recommended it. So I dutifully got it from the library again, and this time I read the whole thing.

    It didn't work very well for me, though I did tear up at the end, because, well, who wouldn't? I was most charmed by the ghost and the ghostly pet. The adults were all cut from cardboard. The worldbuilding was lacking, in my eyes. Why did the alchemist have the power to basically turn the sun off with his magic but he was otherwise incompetent and bumbling? I know it's a middle-grade novel, skimping on the background details isn't unheard of, and stupid/mean adults are common- but I came away with no real understanding of the motivating force behind Will, no good reasons for some of his actions. The plot, for all the elements of freshness (and there were several) was far too predictable and pat.

    The part I liked best was the Author's Note, and after I read it, I did find myself liking the book more because of it. The Author's Note brought it from a one star book to a two star book for me.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A great read!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I'm struggling quite a bit in writing my review for this novel. I've read it within a few days but it's taken a month to write in a review. My reasons being that I don't enjoy writing negative reviews or even anything close to it. I'm the type of person who is sensitive when it comes to words, which is a major factor of being an introvert. That's my bad. But I really wanted to put in my '2 cents' for this read.Liesl & Po is a great story don't get me wrong, but there were certain aspects that just stood out more that plainly rubbed me the wrong way. Now take into account that this is the first novel of Lauren Oliver that I have read.The opening note from the author to the reader explaining the reasons or story correlations of Liesl & Po was one big element why I could not write my review as soon as I was finished reading. I felt as if I would be talking rudely about an unfortunate situation to someone's love one's passing. Which in all sincerity I give my condolences. But I'm trying real hard to put that out of my mind with much difficulty so I can write my review. Liesl & Po has a strong take to a Cinderella twist. Where Liesl's mom passes away, her father then believes Liesl needs a step-mother and afterwards her father unexpectedly dies. Subsequently Liesl is locked up in the attic. Po comes into play as the 'fairy godmother' but instead is a shadow from the other side. Later on Will somewhat becomes her knight in shining armor. The strong points in why I liked LIesl & Po would be the evident emotion that just pops out of the pages. You truly feel the pain in losing her father, the anger you have toward the step mother, and the sigh of relief when she's set free. The smudgy feel of the artwork blends well to Ms Lauren Oliver's writing style, and there were also some lovely hard hitting proses that were sprinkled throughout the book. The negatives? The pace was a bit slow and mostly due to an excess of descriptions. And the descriptions that I was most interested in, like the guard's sister, were very scarce and disheartening. I believe this story is aimed to the more mature middle graders because it has too much of a dark moody feel to it. There was also the part where Po was explaining about how 'wonderful' the otherside was and how better he prefers it than to the real world. Which I felt as if he was implying that it was better to be dead. I had chills thinking of my child ever thinking that way. As for the ending, it was very pleasing. I always enjoy a happy ending. So, as a final end note? Liesl & Po is an expressive and quaint story. If only it was written/told a little differently I would not have had such a hard time trying to see the best in it.You should still give it a try. What I might not have rated in high marks, might just be your cup of tea.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A beautifully written, charming and magical story.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I just loved this story. It's reminiscent of old children's fairy tales with magic, mayhem, and villains galore.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Let me first start off by saying that this is the first book I’ve read by Lauren Oliver. I’ve had “Delirium” sitting on my shelf to be read since its release day, but for some reason or another, I have yet to start it. After finishing “Liesl & Po”, however, her MG debut, I’m going to have to work on finding time to read “Delirium”.“Liesl & Po” is a fantastic MG novel. It’s about Liesl, a young girl forced to live in the attic by her stepmother after her father’s death. One night, Po and Bundle, both from the other side (ghosts), appear in the attic after noticing Liesl has stopped drawing. When Po tells her that it’ll try and locate her father on the other side, she promises to make him a drawing. Which brings us to Will, an orphan and the alchemist’s apprentice. On his way to make a delivery for the alchemist, Will stops to stare up at Liesl’s window. It’d been days since he’d seen her face in the window and he was starting to become alarmed, so he waits, hoping to see her face even though he’s running late with his delivery. When Liesl appears in the window, Will is elated. They don’t know each other, but Liesl is almost like a light that shines on his dark life. When Will accidentally mixes up the box containing the alchemist’s greatest power with a box full of ashes, he will set off on a journey that will lead him right to Liesl.The characters are wonderful. The illustrations that go along with the text allow the reader to easily envision what is taking place. Overall, this was a pleasant read and I’d recommend it to those looking for a great MG novel.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Liesl lives in an attic, locked away by her greedy stepmother after Liesl’s father passed away. Unable to go outside, Liesl spends her time sitting at her desk, drawing pictures and wishing she could see her father again. Unbeknownst to Liesl, she has a secret admirer. Young Will, an alchemists assistant, watches her from the street, wondering who she is. One fateful night, not long after her father has passed away, Liesl is visited by a ghost named Po. Po isn’t sure if it’s a boy or girl, and unsure whether it’s pet is a cat or dog. They’ve lived on the other side so long, they’ve forgotten what they were. This same night, Will is sent by the alchemist to deliver the world’s most powerful magic to a client and to pick up some supplies from a man who also happens to be the localmortician. When Will mixes up the magic box with the box of Liesl’s father’s ashes, he sets off a chain of events that will take Liesl, Po and Will on a magical adventure.Ms. Oliver has once again crafted a totally engaging story, this time for young readers. The story had elements of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, and is also similar in tone to many of Roald Dahl’s books. I couldn’t help but be reminded of the nasty aunts inJames & the Giant Peach whenever Augusta and Madame Premiere were in a scene. The mismatched cast of characters are odd and engaging, ranging from sweet and innocent to downright nasty. Kei Acedera’s beautiful drawings scattered amongst the pages help set the tone perfectly. Liesl & Po is full of magic, adventure and most of all love. This is a book that everyone young and old will enjoy. I can’t recommend it enough.(Review based on an ARC courtesy of the publisher)
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Liesl is a young girl, trapped in an attic room by a nasty stepmother. One night she is visited by a ghost named Po. A relationship blossoms, something they both desperately need to move forward in their unusual lives.Will is a hapless and lonely, young apprentice, working for a wicked alchemist. He makes a serious mistake in one of his deliveries, setting him on a course that will change his life forever.How these three meet, is how this lovely fairy-tale progresses. It’s filled with charm, excitement and old-fashioned adventure, that will leave you grinning and cheering this rag-tag trio on. There’s a bit Harry Potter, mixed with a healthy dose of Neil Gaiman. And Oliver’s prose sings:“She liked that word: we. It sounded warm and open, like a hug.” “People could push and pull at you, and poke you, and probe as deep as they could go. They could even tear you apart, bit by bit. But at the heart and root and soul of you, something would remain untouched.” Okay, this is simple: Find a copy and read it! See, that wasn’t hard.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    What a supremely imaginative, delightful story! It is very rare that you come across full length novels that remind you of stories you remember as a child. For me, "Leisl & Po" is one of those stories that will live on in your memory for years to come.After reading the book and Lauren Oliver's reasons for having written it, I have to say with as much loss as I have suffered of my own over the years, this book most certainly holds a place in my heart and always will. "Leisl & Po" is not just an exciting adventure but a book that gives one hope for a life beyond the existence we currently live in, while simultaneously providing hope that no matter how harsh this life can seem that there is still magic to be found if only we believe.My recommendation of this book comes extremely high, and I hope both young and old will obtain a copy and come to treasure it as well.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    What a supremely imaginative, delightful story! It is very rare that you come across full length novels that remind you of stories you remember as a child. For me, "Leisl & Po" is one of those stories that will live on in your memory for years to come.After reading the book and Lauren Oliver's reasons for having written it, I have to say with as much loss as I have suffered of my own over the years, this book most certainly holds a place in my heart and always will. "Leisl & Po" is not just an exciting adventure but a book that gives one hope for a life beyond the existence we currently live in, while simultaneously providing hope that no matter how harsh this life can seem that there is still magic to be found if only we believe.My recommendation of this book comes extremely high, and I hope both young and old will obtain a copy and come to treasure it as well.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.Quick & Dirty: Take a bunch of unique characters that really have nothing in common and put them together in a fun magical setting, this is what you get with Liesl & Po. I loved this book it was so cute and beautifully written. It is a great read for all ages young and old.Opening Sentence: She was lying in bed in the uniform gray dress of her small attic room when in one corner the shadows seemed to crimp, or flex, and suddenly standing next to her wobbly desk and three-legged chair was a person about her height.The Review: Liesl is a young girl that lives in an attic. Her father recently died and her stepmother is a mean woman who wouldn’t let Liesl say goodbye before it was too late. She misses her father greatly, and the life she had before he got sick. She is a sweet young thing that loves to draw, and tries to make the best with what she has. She gets lonely all by herself in her attic, but she soon makes a new friend. Po is a ghost that resides on the other side. It is neither boy nor girl because these things don’t matter on the other side. It finds itself drawn to a light that is filled with a little girl in the living world. Po doesn’t really remember anything much about the living; it has been on the other side far too long. But then Po meets Liesl and life starts to have meaning again. Liesl asks Po for help in finding her father and helping him to rest peacefully. This takes them on an unexpected adventure filled with magic, danger, and new friends.Meanwhile, Will is a young boy that lives with the mean old alchemist. Will is an orphan and a while back the alchemist adopted him and has tried to make him his apprentice. Will runs errands and tasks all day. One night he happens to notice a light on in a high window of a big house. In this room he sees a beautiful young girl. Ever since that night he has tried to return to that house everyday in hopes to see her again. Tonight Will is on an important mission to deliver a very important package to a very important person, but for the last few nights the girl has been absent from her window. So instead of delivering the package right away like he was ordered, he takes a different route that will bring him by the girls window once again. This leads to a string of events that start a journey that he was expecting.I loved this book. It is a really fun book that has unique characters, magical adventure, and is written so beautifully. The story is enchanting and you can’t help but start to reminisce your own childhood while reading it. There are only a handful of characters in the story but they all play an integral part to the plot. Lauren Oliver weaves a beautiful tale of adventure and loss, which is hard to put down. There are cute illustrations throughout the book that help your imagination start to flow. It is really hard to put into words how much I enjoyed this book, it was that good. So if you have a child that loves to read or you yourself are looking for a fun read, I would highly recommend Liesl & Po to everyone.Notable Scene:Train 128 steamed past the blurry gray countryside, past cracked and blackened fields.Will pressed his nose to the window.Liesl tucked her chin to her knees and slept.Bundle watched over Liesl.Po was a shadow on the wall, unmoving.The old lady with the cane finished searching all the passenger cars, then berated the policeman for letting the crazy little girl with the wooden box get away.Mo, drinking hot chocolate and reading the paper, sat contentedly on an express train to Cloverstown, where he intended to intercept train 128.Lefty licked dribbles of chocolate from Mo’s beard with a small pink tongue.The alchemist and the Lady Premiere arrived at the gates of 31 Highland Avenue, where they had determined the magic had been taken by mistake.A black-haired thief on his way to Gainsville stole two silver pieces from the grave of a dead man.Time ticked forward. Stars collided. Planets were born and died. Everywhere and in every fold and bend of the universe, strange and miraculous things happened.And so it was, just then.FTC Advisory: Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Liesl & Po. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Loved it! The drawings are incredible and the plot just keeps you reading. I didn't want to put this book down once I had started it and hope that Lauren continues to write many more as well as this one!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    So so wonderful.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    There are two things I know with absolute certainty about Lauren Oliver’s books:1) I will read anything she writes.2) She will always make me cry.I don’t read much middle grade, but this book, along with A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, has definitely changed things up on my reading palate.Liesl & Po was an enchanting and timeless story. Following the death of her father, Liesl has been locked away in the attic of her home by her stepmother. One day two ghosts named Po and Bundle appear and they offer company to her lonely existence. Soon after, a mix up involving an alchemist’s apprentice, Will, and two boxes, sets off a chain of events that brings them all together in an unforgettable adventure.On the surface, the story is straightforward in the way that it has the essential evil characters and there are no real surprising twists along the way. However, the book also handles emotion in a palpable way: grief, loss, love, friendship and, ultimately, healing. It’s all very subtle, but there’s depth and so much hope to be found in these words and characters.My favorite character of the story was, without a doubt, Po. Po, neither a he nor a she, along with Bundle, neither a dog nor a cat, was Liesl’s primary companion on her journey. Po’s character definitely had moments full of sarcasm — especially when Will came into the picture — but kindness and compassion peeked through as well. Liesl and Po’s friendship grew so beautifully and made my heart swell. And, yes, they did make me cry, too.I have loved and adored each of Oliver’s three published books. Though they’re all very different from the last, each is filled with her gorgeous prose and wonderfully layered characters. Prior to picking up Liesl & Po I already considered myself a big fan, but now I’m finding myself even more eager to see what she does next. I know it will be amazing.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Listened to it on audiobooks. Loved this story!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Liesl & Po is Lauren Oliver’s charming middle-grade debut. I have greatly loved this author’s YA books, and though each book is vastly different, her wonderful storytelling is consistent. Ms. Oliver always manages to surprise and impress me with the emotional depth of her characters. Liesl & Po is no different and I enjoyed the dark, magical ghost story feel to it and all the whimsical characters. This deeply personal story is inspired by the death of the author’s best friend, and is something that haunted the pages as I read the book. I think many will be able to relate to the subject matter, and will enjoy the fantasy elements involved as well. To use Liesl’s favorite word, I enjoyed the story ineffably much.

    Like a fairy tale, the story begins with Liesl, a young girl who has been locked in an attic by her evil stepmother. Her father has recently died, and now she’s on her own, drawing pictures in the attic. One night a ghost named Po and his ghostly pet Bundle pop in and she asks for Po’s help to find her father on the Other Side. Meanwhile, a young alchemist’s apprentice named Will is sent on an errand to deliver a powerful box of magic, but mistakenly delivers the wrong box. This mix up sets off a sequence of events that brings the story full circle for this eccentric group of characters, and they must go on a journey to make things right.

    The story takes place in a bleak, undetermined place where food and money are scarce. The mood is dark, and the setting is literally dark, as the sun hasn’t shone for years. But there is a ray of hope in the characters as they work together to help each other along the way. Liesl is courageous, determined and hopeful, even though she has suffered so much in her young life. Po is a ghost of few words, and is someone who needs Liesl as much as she needs him. The ghostly cat/dog Bundle is adorable too and always there to chime in with a “Mwark”. And young Will is sweet in his obvious affection for Liesl. There are many lighthearted moments between the characters that keep the story from ever being too heavy.

    The story is magical and endearing, and the fantasy elements make it easy to imagine it as a movie. Though the subject matter is dark, the touching alliance of the characters brings a ray of hope. The illustrations by Kei Acedara are gorgeous and complement the story perfectly. Recommended for fans of Lauren Oliver’s writing and those that enjoy middle grade and fantasy books. An enchanting read.