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LIESL & PO

Author Information
Author's Last Name: 
Oliver
Author's First Name: 
Lauren
Illustrator's First Name: 
Kai
Illustrator's Last Name: 
Acedera
Publisher: 
Harper
Publication Date: 
October 4, 2011
2013 Nomination (not yet selected): 

Part mystery, part non-scary ghost story, part quest to belong, all fun and wonderfully imaginative. Liesl and her new friends, Po, Bundle, and Will, set off on an adventure to give her late father the closure he needs to move on in the Other Side. The many characters are delightfully intertwined. The careful reader may pick up on the clues about the relationships between the characters and all is revealed in the last few paragraphs. Even non-characters affect each other such as magic and the weather. A tidy and satisfying ending completes the package. Ten to Fourteen. Julie Dietzel-Glair

Locked away by her stepmother in a tiny attic bedroom, Liesl is watched nightly by Will, an alchemist's apprentice.  One night, after Po arrives from the Other Side to help Liesl, their path crosses with Will's, and a magical adventure ensues. Also available in a splendid audio edition.

Comments

Meeting Notes for November

by ladamson - 11/23/2011 - 6:08pm

Meeting Notes for November 18

Positive Comments:

  • These are ghosts that readers can love.
  • This old-fashioned story contains common story-telling elements that make it enjoyable, including black and white drawings.
  • The writing style with its evocative language appeals to readers' senses but is not overly wordy.
  • The story will work for both males and females.

Observations

  •  In the afterword, the writer mentions that this story was cathataric for her.

Concerns:

  • The lack of gender for Po and the dogs makes the pronouns confusing, thereby taking the reader out of the story.


 

Meeting Notes for October

by ladamson - 10/18/2011 - 12:38pm

Meeting Notes for October 14:

  • Needs more readers.