Liesl & Po

Cute Story, Lacks Depth

I'm not sure what the deal is with some middle grade stories I've read as of late, but they seem to all be written for a different age. Remember Harry Potter? That is written for 9-12 year olds. This, also aimed at 9-12 year olds, feels like something I would have read to my son before he could handle a book this size. Don't get me wrong - the story is cute, but the story is so predictable that it loses it's intriguing quality shortly after starting. In the front of the book Lauren Oliver talks about writing this book in only 2 months, which is completely understandable due to the lack of depth.

OK, so now that you think I've bashed this book, let me tell you the good part. I absolutely LOVED the character of Po (and Bundle!) and the idea of being indescribable once you've crossed over to the Other Side. (For more of an explanation on that you'll have to read the book, I don't do spoilers, especially when I wouldn't do this idea justice.) Po's state of being and his character development, especially for a ghost, are both wonderful. There is no shortage of colorful characters and I can imagine reading this aloud and doing all the different voices as a bed time story (the kind you continue on night after night, since it's longer than the usual read-out-loud-at-bedtime-story). The artwork within the pages adds to the books uniqueness and kids will love to see the what the characters look like on the pages.

ARC Reviewed by Jessica for Book Sake.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Unforgetable and absolutely brilliant

Words cannot express how absolutely wonderful this book is. It actually had me in tears quite a few times. It is such a touching, sad, and beautiful story. If you can relate with the characters in this book on any level you will understand why one could be brought to tears by such a simple story. This book, of course, is written through a child's eyes, so it doesn't need to be any more complex than what it is, or else it would lose its innocence. If you really understand what is going on, you will actually realize that this book is much more complex than one may think. You just have to scratch the surface and really get into what is really going on. The author wrote this book to help her heal from a loss, and you sense that every step of the way. You really start to see the author’s struggle through the eyes of little girl, and it is so moving and relatable. The fact that it is a child's perspective on such a grown up subject matter makes it such a powerful story. If you have ever lost someone or needed a friend at any time in your life you will notice that this book has a great deal of depth to it. You really feel like you are going on an emotional journey with this little girl, who is obviously going through a bit of a depression.. At times I thought as though this book was a bit too grown up for younger readers, but I would not let that discourage anyone from letting their child read it. 9-12 is the perfect age range. I would even say that this is a wonderful book for adults too. This is truly one of those rare children’s books that is just too special to be restricted to just one age group..

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

What a beautiful book!

This book enchanted me--especially the character of Po, a ghost-like character unlike any I've read in a children's book. Its fast pace appeals to imaginitive kids who like a dark, magical story. Adults will enjoy the more cerebral parts pertaining to the "Other World." The illustrations look great on nook, but I think I want the hard copy of this one as a keepsake.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Awesome Read

I have always loved ghost stories. It never mattered if they were funny or scary. This was a great ghost story. This was one of those ghost stories that was full of evil people and ghosts who reach out and touch your heart. Liesl has recently lost her father. She misses him terribly. Her step-mother has kept her locked in the attic for months slowly starving her while her very own daughter has been forced to play the role of Liesl.

Will was an orphan adopted by an alchemist to be his apprentice. The alchemist has no desire to teach him how to create magic. His desire is to use the boy to run errands. He too has little to eat, his clothes are too big for him and he has never heard a kind word. Will runs errands each night for the alchemist and takes a route that allows him to gaze at a young girl in an attic. He is worried because her light has not been on in her room for several days. He dreams of them becoming friends. He’s never had a friend. On this night he has to make a delivery of a box of magic to an important lady, then he must go to the grey mans” place to pick up some items for the alchemist. The grey man disposes of bodies. On this night he has sitting on his bench in a jewelry box the ashes of Liesl’s father. Will arrives and gives the grey man his list. The warmth from the fire lulls him to sleep. When he leaves he mistakenly picks up the wrong box. From here things get interesting.

Liesl is suddenly visited by two ghosts, Po and Bundles. She becomes friends with them. In exchange for a picture Po agrees to go back to the other side to look for her father. He finds him and goes back to tell Liesl of his discovery and that his father just wants to go to the willow tree. This is where her mother is buried. This is where her father planned on being buried one day. Liesl decides she must find a way to escape the attic and take her father’s ashes to the willow tree.

Because of the mix up Will, Liesl, Po and Bundles cross paths as they find themselves on the run from one kind hearted man and three evil beings. The author’s note at the end explains how the book came about. I could relate to her reasons. It is a story that will touch your heart in so many ways. The illustrations in this book are absolutely beautiful.

This is a great book. I was excited when I receive an email advertising the opportunity to read this book free until January 31st. I had seen it listed on several blogs. The premise made it very appealing. I have had it on my list for quite some time. I can’t wait to purchase this for my students so they may enjoy such a wonderful book.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

3.5 STARS -- I'm Rounding up =)

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.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Love the Audio book!

I was never really into audio books and didn't think I would like them. It wasn't until I got my first audio book for Christmas one year that I realized just how easy, and convenient it is to have an audio of your favorite book, or of any book period.

When I got the chance to review Liesl & Po in audio format, I was really excited. I really liked the way Jim Dale narrated the story. When I read the actual book by itself, I have to say I wasn¿t really into it. I felt the characters really weren¿t that exciting.

However, listening to the audio version made me enjoy the story a lot more. Jim Dale really brought the characters to life. I wasn¿t really a fan of Po until I listened to this CD. He put a good deal of emphasis into each characters attitude. I listened to maybe three chapters a day and never really lost interest in the story.

I will admit that when I read the actual book, I couldn¿t finish it. I just wasn¿t really that into it, and I felt that for a middle grade book, it was a little too mature. But I did finish the audio book and now know how the story ends. I have to say I enjoyed it a lot more. I wish I would have finished reading the book in the first place now that I know how everything plays out.

Audio: 5 out of 5 Stars!
Story: 4 out of 5 Stars!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

poor plot and characters

i purchased this audiobook because the reader is Jim Dale (of Harry Potter fame). He did a wonderful job - as usual - but the story was so poor that even Jim's voice couldn't hold my attention. Characters were two-dimensional and plot was uninteresting. I would give this only one star, if not for the narrator.

Love it

It is a awsome book but add romance and read it because it as a twist in it just read it

Five stars!!:)

This is a five star book! It is a cute story aa

Charming little book

I enjoyed it a great deal. Perfect for a pajama/D.E.A.R. day at school!

Love it

Love it

A must read!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It brought tears to my eyes.

I love it

This is one of the best books i read

The book Liesl&Po is sooooooo awsome

This book is very very interesting I love its the coolest book I ever read its its just so interesting I just can't discribe the words for this book I love it so much

Fabulous!

Liesl & Po is a middle grade book by author Lauren Oliver. I have to say, I was really excited to start the book. I¿ve really wanted to read something by Lauren Oliver for a while now, and Liesl & Po was the perfect book to start with!

The story starts when young Liesl, forced to live in the attic by her stepmother after the death of her father. Her favorite word is ¿ineffable¿, and she repeats this word over and over to herself when she feels upset. I really love her character. She¿s such a caring child. While locked in the attic, Liesl meets Po, the ghost, and his pet, Bundle. Po is another character that I really loved. Po is not a he, or a she, so it¿s referred to as ¿It¿. Po plays a big role in Liesl¿s journey. We also meet Will in the story. Will has watched Liesl, in her attic window, from the street below. By pure chance, they meet along the way, and become friends as well. These three characters meshed so well together. I just really loved them all.

I love the storyline in the book. It was very fast paced, and I love following the children on their journey. There are some really dark parts in the book; death and pure evilness with some of the adults. I was worried that the whole book would be dark, but there were plenty enough bright spots to even the book out. I loved the ending of the book, and am so glad it ended the way it did.

Overall, I really loved this book. It¿s definitely a book that will be added to my shelf, and shared with my children. I¿m also really looking forward to reading more books by Ms. Oliver.

Happy Reading!

Darcus @ Starcrossed

I absolutely loved this book. It had been on my list for a while and I was ecstatic when Lauren Oliver sent me an ARC copy. It came in this amazing box that was decorated with the cover of the book. I couldn't wait for it to arrive and I hurried as fast as I could to dig into it. I was not disappointed.

As my husband and I lay down in bed the other night, we both pulled out a book and began to read. About a page in, he turns to me and proceeds to whine like a little kid because he wanted to read Liesl & Po first. I could not make this up. Finally he read his book and I continued on with mine. A few chapters in, I got up to go the restroom. When I came back, he had his nose stuck in my book and wouldn't give it back! It took forever to get it back from him, but I eventually did. And I read it quickly.

Liesl & Po is unlike anything I've read in a while. It's brilliant, amazing, full of emotion, and at times, laughter. It felt like I was reading a fairy tale. Only a very well thought out, extremely beautifully written, fresh fairytale. I have to admit that this book was so much better than I thought it was going to be. I mean, I knew it was going to be good, but I didn't know it was going to be this good. The inside if filled with beautiful, haunting words and equally as impressive illustrations. I loved everything about this book and it is definitely one that I will come back to in the future. On one hand I wish that this novel was the first in a series, but I believe if it were any more than just what it is, it would not be as amazing as it is.

My only regret is that this is the first Lauren Oliver book I have gotten my hands onto.

Beautiful & Engaging

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)

A Perfect Adventure!

Liesl has been locked in the attic for many months now, ever since her father passed away and she fell into the care of her heartless stepmother. It is a quiet and lonely existence, so when a ghost named Po shows up one day, she welcomes the company. Across town, a young boy named Will routinely carries out errands for his employer, an Alchemist with his sights on creating the most powerful magic in all the land. When Will makes a terrible mistake during a delivery one night, the consequences set he and Liesl off on separate paths away from their jailers. And yet before they know it, their journeys come together for a common purpose.

What fun! The characters of Liesl, Po, Will, and the Guard with Lefty were all so endearing and sweet. The action started right from the start and didn't let up until the very end. There is a lot of sadness in this book, with Liesl and Will living fairly hard and miserable lives, but I still think many readers will be able to identify with the sense of longing and adventure. The villains were simple in their motivations, wanting to destroy the children for their own fame and riches. Oliver has a beautiful, lyrical, story-telling style or writing that would lend itself well to being read out loud. And the end scene is completely worth the trouble for these poor kids (and ghosts)! This is the third book by Lauren Oliver and her first for middle grade readers. If I wasn't already a huge fan of her before, I certainly am now!

Live To Read

The cover is very eye-catching, perfect for the age group this book was designed for. The cover is just the beginning of what is to come in this very good book.


Liesl doesn't have the best life at all. She is locked in the attic by her stepmother, her father recently died. She doesn't get to go outside and she doesn't get to see and feel the sunshine often at all. However, even in the attic she attracts attention. Will is an orphaned alchemist's apprentice who sees and likes her face in the attic window. He will become an important character in the story. Liesl's only respite is to draw; her drawings gain the attention of Po and Bundle, dark ghosts.


Liesl's father was cremated upon his death, Liesl holds his ashes dear. Will accidentally mixes up the alchemist's extremely good potion into Liesl's father's ashes. Ashamed at his mistake, Will runs away. Liesl finally decides it is time to bury her father's ashes and takes off to find the perfect place with Po and Bundle accompanying her. Both Liesl and Will find each other in a lucky fluke, both are on the run. From this point on, the novel takes off.


The characters are very well-developed, the plot is fun to read about and inventive, and the events are fast-paced. Liesl will appeal to younger girls while Will's character will appeal to younger boys...the plot will appeal to both girls and boys. Liesl is caring, a little impulsive, and sweet while Will is rougher, very impulsive, and lonely. The only quality that would make this novel better would be reading the novel in the first person, the novel is told in the third. This book is recommended to teens/preteens who enjoy fantasy.

No text was provided for this review.