Friday, February 19, 2016

Will They Get to the Willow in Time?

“That is the strangest thing about the world: how it looks so different from every point of view.”

Liesl is mourning the loss of her father while she is locked up in the attic by her stepmother. She's all alone until a ghost, Po, comes to visit her. Liesl can't quite figure out what Po is, but she is happy to have the company. Po has a message from Liesl's father which will force her out of the attic and back to her childhood home in order to reach the willow tree. Meanwhile, Will works for an apprentice, but he often stops across from the house with the girl in the attic watching her and wondering about her. He's on an important mission to deliver powerful magic when he takes a chance stopping by the house to catch a glimpse of the girl. Will has a mix-up and the box can't be delivered, but through a series of strange happenings Liesl and Po cross paths with Will and their journey begins together. Of course, an angered alchemist and a furious stepmother are just two of the forces trying to stop the trio from reaching their destination. Will Liesl reach the willow? What has happened to the box with powerful magic in it? You will have to read this story to see how it all works out!

Liesl and Po is the first book I have read by Lauren Oliver. I was interested the first time I saw the cover (which looks different from the one seen here). I really enjoyed the whimsical illustrations that accompanied the text. I felt sorry for Liesl because her stepmother treats her so poorly, and I could imagine how much she misses her dad. I was definitely rooting for Liesl, Po, and Will because the grownups in the story were all pretty rotten. This is a great story for kids and adults who like fairy tales and stories that involve dark characters. I like when stories are more intertwined than you realize at first, so that aspect of the story added extra appeal. I have had my own experience with a willow tree, so I was a little nervous when I realized it would have a big role in this book. Luckily, not all willows have the same history as the one at the Begonia House. I would recommend this book to anyone in 4th grade and up who isn't afraid of a little spookiness in their stories. Watching the trailer really brings the words to life and I love the song that is used.  If you haven't seen it- make sure to check it out!


Has anyone else read Liesl and Po? Have you read another book by Lauren Oliver? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading-
~L

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46 comments:

  1. Sure sounds like a great one indeed. Rotten grownups deserve their due haha

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    1. Pat- It is great and you are right- they do! :) ~L

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  2. I thought of Cinderella with the wicked stepmother :) Sounds like a good story!

    betty

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    1. Betty- I can understand why you thought that. The book definitely has a fairy tale feel to it. :) ~L

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  3. For some reason I love middle grade books...this one sounds really good!

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    1. Patty- Middle grade books are awesome. I think you will love Liesl and Po! :) ~L

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  4. I really like Lauren Oliver's MG books, The Spindler's and her new Curiousity House series is lots of fun. Liesel and Po was my favorite though.

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    1. Brenda- Wonderful to hear that you have read more of her MG books and enjoyed them. I have Spindler's on my shelf and can't wait to read it. :) ~L

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  5. Sounds like my kind of read. I love characters with a dark side and am intrigued by the role the Willow tree plays.

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    1. Tracy- I bet you will love this one. The willow is definitely important! :) ~L

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  6. I remember this one got terrific reviews when it came out. I am not sure I have read a book by this author either. Anyway, I will keep this in mind for Risa

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    1. Heidi- This will be a great one for Risa when she gets older. This was my first book by Lauren Oliver, but I look forward to reading more of her work. :) ~L

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  7. Lauren Oliver sounds familiar but I don't think I've read her books yet. This one sounds good, and I hope to find a copy of it soon!

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    1. Claudine- I think you will love the style of the story and the story itself. :) ~L

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  8. It sounds an interesting book ... I'm unlikely to read it - but does look like a great read for your age group .. cheers Hilary

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    1. Hilary- It is great and perfect for middle grade readers. :) ~L

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  9. Awesome review :D So glad you liked this one. <3 Feels like forever since I read it.. but re-read soonish :D I also loved it so much. It's adorable :) Thank you for sharing. <3

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    1. Carina- Glad to hear you read and enjoyed Liesl and Po too! I hope the reread is just as good. :) ~L

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  10. We're mostly doing YA at my publishers, but we're thinking of moving to selected MGs too in order to beat our rivals :)

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  11. Looks like fun. My daughter might be a little old for it but I expect she'd enjoy the female protagonist, plus a little bit of spooky.

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    1. The Armchair Squid- I think it is a book that can be enjoyed by people older than the MG audience. The spooky factor and the old fairy tale feel make it a fun read for all. :) ~L

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  12. I haven't read this one, but I read and loved Delirium by Lauren Oliver.

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    1. Kelly- Awesome that you have read another book by Lauren Oliver and loved it. :) ~L

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  13. I haven't read this boom but I love books that I can root for characters that have to surpass such difficult challenges and trials... xox

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  14. I've heard so many great things about Liesl and Po, but I don't have a copy yet. I'll have to fix that :)

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    1. Jemi- I think you and your students will love it. :) ~L

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  15. I do love a good time travel book. I really must check this one out!

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    1. Meradeth- It is a great book! They don't exactly time travel- but they do travel to other dimensions. :) ~L

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  16. I do know of this one, but not what it was about! I haven't read anything by Lauren, but I might start with this one or her other MG novel. I think she has two?

    -Lauren

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    1. Lauren- This would be a great one to start with- but she has a couple other MG books too. This is the first one I have read. :) ~L

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  17. I loved spooky stories when I was a kid and couldn't get enough of them. This one sounds great, almost like a Cinderella retelling. Wishing Lauren much success! :)

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    1. Lexa- I can definitely see the Cinderella connection. Reading it feels like you are reading an old fairy tale. :) ~L

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  18. That's an interesting storyline. I like ghosts and evil step mothers. I loved stories like this when I was a teenager.

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  19. I have heard a lot of things about Lauren Oliver's books but haven't been pulled to try one just yet. I do own one, so I should be doing that in time! It's always good to discover a new author, and it seems like this worked well for you here.

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    1. Olivia-Savannah, This was my first book by Lauren Oliver and I look forward to reading more. I hope you enjoy her book too if you get to them. :) ~L

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  20. I haven't read this one yet. It does sound wonderful.

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