Elizabeth

A very special book: Elizabeth by Liesel Moak Skorpen.


This book was given to my mom for Mother's Day in 1980. She loved it immediately and began reading it to me when I was a toddler. It was a favorite of mine throughout my childhood, and according to my mom it was one of the first books I began to read (memorize) before I actually could read.

I loved the eventual bond that Kate discovers with her doll, Elizabeth. Although she was not the fanciest doll that Kate could have received for Christmas, she was still a very special doll once Kate began to love her, a theme evident in another of my favorite childhood books, The Velveteen Rabbit.

My mom recently dug Elizabeth out from safekeeping in her attic and gave it to me. We've read it with J, but I do hope someday I have a daughter to share it with.

The two illustrations below are my favorites from the book. The muted neutrals and the intense oranges and yellows really reflect the colors I recall from the late 70s and early 80s. :) There is also such depth and texture to these illustrations; the look is simple, yet also very detailed.