Liesl and Po - Book Review

Title ~ Liesl and Po
Series ~ Single Title
Author ~ Lauren Oliver
Release Date ~ October 4, 2011
Age Group ~ Middle Grade
Publisher ~ HarperCollins
Source ~ Wishing a Book

GOODREADS SUMMARY

We meet Liesl the night after the day her young father has died. That same day she is visited by a ghost, Po, an eight year old boy who lives on the other side, the territory between life and death that runs parallel to the living world. Po has come to tell her that her father is stuck on the other side, and that she is the only one who can help him cross over. A couple of wooden boxes. Some ashes. Some magic dust. A ghost, its pet, and a boy who forgot to wear a hat in the cold. From these seemingly odd, random characters Oliver weaves the enchanting story of how, with the aid of Liesl, these elements come together over the course of one week to restore love and luster to a world gone grey and heartless.

REVIEW

Every once in a while there is a book that reaches into your heart. I mean deep down into your heart where you really FEEL the book and the character’s emotions. Liesl and Po is one of those books for me.

Sweet and innocent Liesl needs a miracle. She has been locked in the attic by her stepmother for many years, and now her beloved father has died. Perhaps Po and Bundle will be that miracle. Po is a ghost from the other side and Bundle is Po’s ghost pet. I love how Po describes the other side and how no one has a gender and things just “are."  Innocent simplicity.

Liesl’s father would want his ashes buried by the willow tree and Liesl will do anything to make that dream come true. With the help of Po, Bundle, and a mysterious boy named Will, Liesl stops at nothing to reach her goal. Each one of the characters goes through an emotional transformation. There are both subtle and profound differences that left me in love with every one of the characters.

Liesl and Po tells a captivating tale where a string of small coincidences blossom into a promising ending. There is a beautiful and lyrical quality to Lauren Oliver’s writing. Her words flow together in a way that the story spills over and envelopes the reader. The tale of Liesl and Po is one I will carry with me.

RATING

5 Loved

COVER COMMENTS

You have to see this cover in person to really appreciate its beauty. It looks just like a wooden box. Just like the box Liesl is opening in the cover picture. Do you see a ghostly Po and Bundle in the picture too?