For months now, Liesl has sat at her attic window gazing out upon the town. Usually she sits and draws the world that she no longer enters. Months ago her stepmother told her that the world was too dangerous for her and that she must remain inside where it is safe. After her father passed away, Liesl was even restricted from leaving her tiny room.Will, the alchemist's apprentice, has been watching that girl in her window and he wonders what she is doing up there every evening. He has this sense that he must watch her and protect her when needed. He doesn't realize that he will be the cause of their ultimate meeting.
The third party involved with this young girl is Po, he is also attracted to Liesl, or rather he is attracted to her drawing. It isn't until she stops drawing, that Po shows himself. Po is a ghost.
This story has all the elements that make me want to keep reading: a very likable heroine, magic, and unlikely hero and an element or two of menace. I found Po to be a most unique character, he or she didn't recall anything about himself or is it herself. All we know it that it is a caring soul. Compare that to the treachery of the adults and Po becomes even more lovable.
I want to tell you more about this story, but I'd give away too much. It is lovely though might be a bit scary for a young reader (under 10). Would be perfect to read together snuggled in a big chair. After reading a chapter or two, you might want to sit together with a sketch book and draw your own interpretation of Liesl's artworks. This book is filled with the most wonderful illustrations by artist Kei Acedera. I read an e version of the book, but you will want a paper copy to get the full impact of the images that spread over two facing pages.
Why I say it might be scary: there is the evil step-mother and the death of the father. While Po is not a scary ghost, he is still a ghost.
Illustrated by Kei Acedera
Browse Inside Liesl and Po
Thanks to Lauren Oliver for use of the cover image.
3 comments:
This looks like my kind of book! I'd never heard of it, and it was sitting on the new library book shelf just a few feet away from my desk at work. It's mine now (at least for the next three weeks). :-) Thanks for calling it to my attention.
This sounds like such a magical book and not just for the younger readers either, thanks for recommending it Heather. Oh, and thanks for your kind offer, I've emailed my details.
I should read this one cos I read and liked Delirium, and this one is of course very different. So that would be fun
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