Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver

 After Liesl's father got so sick he had to go to the hospital, her hateful stepmother, Augusta, put Liesl in the attic. She has been in the attic for almost a year, never allowed out of the room. She is brought a dismal meal twice a day and spends her time drawing. When her father finally passes away, Liesl is not only grieving, but upset she wasn't allowed to see him and tell him goodbye.


On the third day after her father's death, a ghost appears in Liesl's room. His name is Po and he has a cat, well he's called Bundle. Po doesn't know why he is in Liesl's room, he just popped in from the other side. Liesl promises to make Po a drawing if he will go to the otherside and find her father.

Will, an orphan who lives with an alchemist, stops at the corner everynight to see the young pretty face in the attic window. But for the third night, she hasn't been there. He lives a very lonely existance, and seeing her brings him comfort and companionship, even though she isn't aware of him. When he is given the task to deliver the biggest magic ever created to the Lady Premiere and then to gather ingredients from the mortuary, he hastens to do so, but he is cold and exhausted.

A common mistake occurs, and the box with the magic is taken to Liesl's house, assumed full of her father's ashes, and the ashes, assumed full of magic, are taken to the Lady Premiere's home. When she opens the box and sees the ashes, she goes ballistic and Will runs away.

When Po finds Liesl's father in otherside and learns he wants to go home and only Liesl can take him, he lets Liesl know. She knows exactly where she is to take her father's ashes, but she needs help to escape from the attic. With Po and Bundle's help, she embarks on a journey. A journey of the heart, of friends and magic.

Liesl and Po is a magical adventure with twists and turns that will capture your heart. Endearing characters, heart-stopping escapes, deft twists and turns and impeccable writing bring Liesl and Po to life in this magical novel. Kids of all ages will find something to capture their interest in this remarkable novel. I loved it!