Liesl and Po

Liesl and Po Synopsis

From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver comes a luminous novel that glows with rare magic, ghostly wonders, and a true friendship that lights even the darkest of places. An E. B. White Read-Aloud Honor Book, it's perfect for fans of the author's other middle grade novels: The Spindlers and the Curiosity House series.

Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice--until one night a ghost named Po appears from the darkness.

That same evening, an alchemist's apprentice named Will makes an innocent mistake that has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.

What happens when an orphan, a ghost, and a runaway are brought together by the most powerful magic in the world?

• An Unlikely Friendship: Liesl is a lonely girl, Po is a ghost from the Other Side, and Will is an alchemist's apprentice on the run. Together, they might just save each other.
• A Dash of Magic: A stolen box of powerful magic gets swapped with a box of ashes, kicking off a dangerous chase across a world that has forgotten the sun.
• A Classic Fairytale Feel: Featuring a lonely orphan, a cruel stepmother, and a journey through a shadowy world, this story has all the hallmarks of a timeless, heartfelt classic.
• Grief and Hope: A luminous tale about finding light in the darkest of places, perfect for young readers navigating themes of loss and the power of found family.