READ THIS: Eloise in Moscow by Kay Thompson Illustrated by Hilary Knight
You know Eloise is just fahbulous dahling in Hollywood:
And The Ultimate Eloise is simply tops:
And Eloise at Christmas time cooled us off in August:
We are back with more Eloise simply because we love love love her, and like the Christmas book, we are in a chilly chilly chilly place: Moscow. Filled with fur, caviar and cold war chill, Eloise braves the cold and the frigid nature of the community at the time in the USSR. When Kay Thompson (with Hilary Knight in tow) swept through Moscow at the height of the Cold War, the Russians didn't know what hit them. No one could have predicted that this small masterpiece would be the result. First published in 1959 and out of print for more than three decades, their fourth book about Eloise is DELICIOUS. The Petite Peachy panel chimes in:
Being a teacher, I always love books that inspire my students to want to learn more. Eloise in Moscow does just that. Since this book was originally published during the Cold War, it leads to some very thoughtful discussion about that time in US History. My girls love the artwork in the book. It also leads well into studying fashion from the era in which the books takes place, which my girls love. One project we did with the book was study Moscow and put on a play. We all dressed up and made artwork during our Art period to decorate for our play. We were able to put on our play for the younger students and they couldn't get enough Eloise! They were saying "Da" for Eloise (that means yes)! We all loved Eloise in Moscow!
Growing up, I did not remember reading “Eloise in Moscow”. I thought how could that be...When I looked inside the book, I saw that it was written in 1959. Then for one reason or another it was out of print for over 30 years. What a treat, it was like discovering a Beatles song that had been lost in recording and just released. I could only imagine what kind of statement Eloise would make in Mother Russia. This Little Miss Diplomat hits Moscow by storm. Actually a Moscow blizzard hits Eloise by storm. Of course, she speaks Russian fluently, in her own mind. And as any little girl who lives in the plaza, she must travel is style. What would be the most stylish way? Well in her Grandmother’s Rolls of course. It’s is waiting for her arrival to whisk her off to the American Embassy. And that is just the beginning!
Does Eloise only live in NYC? Nyet! I highly suggest you ready Eloise in Moscow! Kay Thompson's iconic Eloise takes us for a trip behind the Iron Curtain of the 1950's Russia. Definitely not the Plaza! Hillary Knight's illustrations knock it out of the park! Gone are our traditional expectations of Eloise. Instead of traditional pink's we see rich tones. The story is Eloise at her always best. Of course, one must only read the story to delight in Eloise's naughty side! Go get your ushanka and read this story with your kids!
"Eloise in Moscow" is, of course, a fun read as are all Eloise books! This particular Eloise book though, was rawther difficult for my four year old to follow. First published in 1959, this book was written after Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight's three week stay in Moscow. For adults, this is a great read and provides a wonderful commentary on the the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The children, although they won't be able to understand a lot of the context of the story, will enjoy the antics of Miss Eloise. Eloise speaks Russian, she explores, she visits the ballet, she disguises herself and spies on other guests at the hotel and so on! All of her adventures made my four year old giggle with delight. Knight's illustrations are impeccable as always. The foldout of the Kremlin is not to be missed. Readers will notice Knight's choice of colors are quite different in this book, but are just as striking as all the others. I must say, "Eloise in Moscow" is not my favorite Eloise book, but I did rawther enjoy it!
