<i>Liesl and Po</i> (review)
2011; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 65; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/bcc.2011.0833
ISSN1558-6766
Autores Tópico(s)Scientific Research and Philosophical Inquiry
ResumoReviewed by: Liesl and Po Kate Quealy-Gainer Oliver, Lauren . Liesl and Po; illus. by Kei Acedera. Harper/HarperCollins [320p]. ISBN 987-0-06-201450-1 $16.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 4-6. Three days after her beloved father passes away, young Liesl has an encounter that changes her world forever. And a good thing too, since her current world isn't all that fabulous: the sun hasn't shone in 1,728 days, the outside is dreary and bleak, and Liesl herself has been locked up in an even gloomier attic by her wicked stepmother. When Po, an androgynous child ghost, makes an appearance in her room one night relaying a message from Liesel's father, the two embark on a journey to bring the ashes of Liesl's father's body to her old family home. Meanwhile, across town, an abused and exhausted apprentice to an evil alchemist makes a terrible mistake, switching a box that contains "The Most Powerful Magic in the World" with an old box that contains what appear to be ashes. The series of fortunate—but still sometimes life-threatening—accidents that ensue eventually bring Liesl and the apprentice together, grant peace to both Liesl's father and Po, and coax the long-hidden sun out from behind the clouds. As in her works for older readers (Before I Fall, BCCB 4/10, Delirium, BCCB 2/10), Oliver brings a characteristic eloquence that imbues even the simplest statement with a poignant authenticity, and she yet again capably portrays the unpredictable nature of loss and it consequences. Her offering here, however, balances these more contemplative aspects with a wonderfully quirky sense of humor that oscillates between a sort of Dahl-esque smugness and outright slapstick. Liesl's journey from the dreary, gray world of grief to the cheerful, colorful place of acceptance is a bit literal, but readers will nonetheless enjoy the ride and want to bask in the glow of its sunny ending. Final illustrations not seen. [End Page 162] Copyright © 2011 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
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