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Liesl is all alone in the world. Her father has just died, and not only is her stepmother keeping Liesl locked in the attic, she wouldn't even let her say goodbye to her beloved father. Given this, Liesl is about to give up entirely on life, when the ghost appears in her room, drawn by the light. All Po -- it's neither boy nor girl, having been on the Other Side long enough to lose its identity -- and its companion, Bundle (neither dog nor cat, but both) really want is to keep Liesl company.  

This little visit changes Liesl's life entirely: she discovers a friend in Po, which means she's not entirely alone. Then, given courage by Po's conversations with Liesl's father on the Other Side, she decides to take her father's ashes back to the house where she was born to bury them. This leads to an adventure; another friend, Will; some mix-ups; and the Greatest Magic in the World.  

It's a quiet, sweet little book, with just a dab of magic, dealing with loss and finding happiness again. It's a very hopeful book; as Oliver points out in the afterword, books like these are about finding the happy ending that life often denies us. There are Messages To Learn in the book, but they are woven in the old-fashioned storytelling, thankfully not blatantly beating us over the head. It's a grim tale to begin with: shades of Cinderella, a gray, dark world filled with adults who actively dislike and want to harm children. However, there is a happy ending: the bad guys get their comeuppance, Liesl finds a new family, and there is sunshine and gladness in the world again.  All which brings a little sigh of contentment when you finish the book.  

Review by Melissa Fox

Liesl & Po (Hardcover)

By Lauren Oliver, Kei Acedera

$16.99

ISBN-13: 9780062014511
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: HarperCollins, 10/2011

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